Bride on the Loose
by ILETUDRIVE
Summary: The title gives it away. Come on in, you might be surprised at the circumstances. Features some of your favorites. NOW COMPLETE!! I can say now it is an alternate Liason fic that even some anti-Elizabeth people may enjoy.
1. Going to the Chapel

Disclaimer: Jason, Elizabeth, Audrey, and Sarah, aren't mine, they are being misused on GH. The others though come from my own little mind.  
  
Feedback: Well let's put it this way I'm not holding my breath, but please surprise me.  
  
Author's Notes: This idea came to me driving home one night. It is a shorter and fun little piece, featuring some characters that are on GH right now. The only character's history I've really changed is Elizabeth. Try it I think you might like it. Please let me know.  
  
  
  
Bride on the Loose  
  
Part I  
  
~Bridal Chamber~  
  
"Oh Lizzie you look so beautiful. I can't believe the day is finally here." Sarah Webber gushed, snipping a stray thread from her sister's dress. "I can still remember the day you two first met. You came home and announced that you'd met the guy you were going to marry. You were only 15 so it was easy to ignore your vow."  
  
The tall brown-eyed blonde circled her more diminutive brown-haired sister, eyeing her appearance critically for any flaw. On a normal day Lizzie tended to be mussed up more than she was pristine. But this wasn't a normal day, this was the day her baby sister, Elizabeth Webber, was getting married.  
  
"Now look at you, 7 years later, 4 months out of college and you're about to marry the man you have been in love with since that warm summer's evening." Sarah flicked a tear from her eyes before it had the chance to run and smear her mascara. "I'm so happy for you Lizzie and envious too."  
  
Lizzie was quiet while she observed her appearance in the three-sided mirror, but as usual Sarah didn't notice.  
  
"Here's your something blue and new." Sarah held up the typical blue garter. "Gram is taking care of the old and borrowed." She glanced down at her diamond-crusted watch. "She should be here by now. I know Gram is always late but I thought she would at least be on time for your wedding."  
  
On cue the door opened behind them and the noises of the church beyond filtered in the small room. The coughing and muted sounds of conversation were evident, until the sound of an organ drowned them out.  
  
"Gram close the door," Sarah hissed. "We don't want anyone to see Lizzie before her grand entrance."  
  
Immediately the door closed the sound vanished, and silence descended again. Audrey Hardy knew the silence was supposed to be respectful, after all they were in a church. But to her it felt like the silence of the dead or the damned, she was never sure which.  
  
"Gram you look," Sarah faltered then went on gamely. "Lovely."  
  
Audrey Hastings nee Webber, Rogers, Little, Erickson, Hardy, smoothed the skirt of her fire engine red dress out so it fell to just above her knees and stepped farther into the room. "Thank you Sarah." She didn't offer the same fake compliment.  
  
The pale green taffeta dress did not sit well on Sarah. It washed her out so much that she looked like a walking green bean, with her blonde hair being the butter on the top. The dress and color scheme were no doubt Claire's suggestion. Her daughter-in-law tended to have color fetishes and Elizabeth's wedding had fallen during her green period. They could only be grateful that it hadn't fallen during her pink stage, or the church would no doubt look like it had been doused in Pepto Bismal. As it was the church looked like some forest motif out of a Shakespeare play. Audrey half expected Puck or Oberon to come charging up the aisles, somehow she didn't think she would get that lucky.  
  
Audrey shook her head and moved closer to her granddaughters. She loved them both, she really did, but at times she didn't like them both. Sarah was a constant do-gooder, the ultimate yes woman. She knew Sarah was the person that other parents held out as examples to their kids.  
  
Audrey always thought it was a bit ironical that the perfectly pure Sarah had come from Claire Westlake. After all Claire had been voted most likely to have a venereal disease by age 19, by her senior class. Her son had thought he was marrying a nympho because of that and instead he had gotten the ice queen. She couldn't help but laugh when she thought about that, in a lot of respects Jeff had gotten what he deserved. Jeff was her only child from her ill-fated first marriage, that marriage was the last time she had ever listened to her parents.  
  
.."so I was telling Lizzie that you were taking care of the borrowed…"  
  
Sarah's high-pitched voice caught her ear and she hid her wince. The child was even beginning to talk like Claire now. The Boston, upper crust, society voice was annoying and fake, considering Sarah had grown up in Colorado, while Claire was born in Indiana.  
  
"Gram are you listening, we don't have much time. If you forgot what you wanted to give her," Sarah eyed the sparkly red dress with trepidation and hoped she had. "Or changed your mind," please god. "I have something else we can use."  
  
"Sarah isn't it time for you to take your pill?" Audrey asked dryly.  
  
"What?" Sarah's mouth dropped open.  
  
"That means I'd like a moment alone with Elizabeth." Audrey grabbed the blonde by the arm and began to propel her to the door.  
  
"But Lizzie…" Sarah tried to stop, but Audrey's grip was firm, and her heels slid on the hardwood floor.  
  
"We just need a few minutes." Audrey opened the door. "You should check on the Reverend, I believe I saw him sipping from a flask. We wouldn't want a replay of your brother's wedding now would we?"  
  
Sarah was horrified at the suggestion. The image of the Reverend propositioning the bride during the ceremony was one memory that would never leave her. "I'll get right on it." She cried and was gone with a swish of green ruffles in her wake.  
  
Audrey closed the door and turned back to Elizabeth. "Can I clear a room or what?"  
  
"She means well Gram," Elizabeth countered.  
  
"So do poodles, but their still annoying as hell." Audrey moved up behind her granddaughter. It wasn't right to have favorites, but of all her children and grandchildren, Elizabeth had a special place in her heart. "How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
Audrey's shrewd blue eyes saw the fake smile and trace of fear that was vivid in the younger woman's blue eyes. She recognized the look in those eyes from her own past. The day of her first and only loveless marriage was the last time she had seen those eyes. The Webbers had continued to try to suck the life out of her after the wedding, but in the end she had fought them off. "Are you sure about this Elizabeth?"  
  
"Why do you keep asking me that?" Elizabeth asked. "How many times have you suffered, having to listen to me plan my wedding to him? Now that the day has finally arrived I would think you would be relieved, not asking if I've changed my mind."  
  
Audrey picked up the heavy veil from the table and began to pin it into Elizabeth's dark curls. "Sometimes it turns out what we think we want, what we spend years dreaming about, isn't what we really want at all. You picked the man of your dreams at 15 and haven't even let yourself glance at another man. I suppose most people would congratulate you for your single- mindedness, but I have to wonder why you're afraid to look. Why it is that your eyes got wider and wider the closer you got to the wedding. That when anyone began to talk about the wedding lately, your eyes start darting to the door, or a window." She put another pin in place. "I can hear the wheels turning in your head, plotting ways to escape."  
  
"That's not true Gram, I love him, why would I want to escape him?"  
  
"If you love him what's the rush?" Audrey pressed. "After our trip this summer I thought you had decided to wait a year before getting married. That you were going to take a year for yourself, your first without school or being married, to discover who you really are. What the world is really like. To actually experience some life, before getting married."  
  
Elizabeth's eyes slid away from the mirror and the all too probing gaze. "The invitations had already gone out. Besides if we marry now, before he starts his residency, we'll have time to ourselves, later on we won't."  
  
Audrey snorted at that line. Those words might as well have come out of Claire's mouth, they certainly weren't Elizabeth's. "Are you sure? Because I happen to know a back way out of this place. We could be on a plane before Sarah can get the flask from the good Reverend."  
  
Elizabeth smiled at the joke. "This is my decision Gram. It's my promise to keep."  
  
Audrey huffed out a breath in disgust, she was afraid that was going to be Elizabeth's answer. She had wanted to spare her granddaughter the pain and unhappiness that she was walking into. But she wasn't surprised that Elizabeth wouldn't let her, it seemed she was going to have to learn the hard way. "Well then I supposed you're going to need this." Audrey pulled a purple velvet jewelry box from her purse and held it out.  
  
"What is it?" Elizabeth took the box and opened it herself too impatient to wait for the reply. "Oh Gram," she whispered when she saw the necklace.  
  
Audrey was sure that Sarah would use the word tacky to describe it, but it wasn't at least not to Audrey. "Steve gave me that the night of our first date."  
  
Audrey pulled the necklace free. "He took me to a carnival and spent about $80 bucks trying to win me this necklace at the shooting gallery. He was supposed to knock over these little ducks, but he couldn't hit even one of them. I think the Carney finally decided that he had milked enough money out of Steve, not to mention humiliated him enough," she smiled at the memory. "Steve was there for over two hours, and had attracted quite a crowd."  
  
Elizabeth smiled at the image Audrey was creating.  
  
"But the expression on his face when that last duck finally fell, was what made me fall in love with him. I had just lost Kurt, about 7 months earlier and had no plans to love and lose again. But that was before I met Steve, and ran into his stubborn streak." She moved around to fasten the necklace.  
  
"He was so sweet." Elizabeth lifted the back of the veil so she could hook it.  
  
"Yes he was. He could have bought the necklace at the next stand, or bought an even better one for less money than he spent, winning me this one. But that wouldn't have been Steve, and it wouldn't have meant as much to me. The chain is gold plated and always turned my neck green if I wore it for more than 12 hours, but it's perfect." Her eyes met Elizabeth's in the mirror and she reached for the tiny charms that were hanging from the necklace. "He told me he would give me the moon and the stars and he did."  
  
Elizabeth looked at the tiny crescent moon and the three stars that were hanging from the end of the chain, and her eyes filled. "It's perfect."  
  
Audrey nodded and blinked back her own tears brought on by the memory, of her sweetest husband. "Here is your borrowed and old," her voice went unaccustomedly sharp. "You shouldn't settle for less than the moon and the stars Elizabeth. If you do you will never be happy." Audrey kissed her cheek and headed for the door. "And if your not happy no one around you will be."  
  
Elizabeth Webber studied herself in the mirror, long after the door closed. She couldn't seem to recognize herself at the moment. To tell the truth she hadn't been able to recognize the woman in the mirror, for days now. The only person she saw in the mirror was Lizzie. Lizzie always agreed with people, Lizzie always smiled at the right places, and spoke at the right time. Lizzie loved her fiancé and the thought of marrying him was all she ever wanted. And Lizzie was someone Elizabeth didn't like very much.  
  
"Just breathe Webber."  
  
The order was loud even to her ears. Where had this blinding fear come from? After all she was the one who had pushed to get engaged, pushed for a wedding date to be set. She was the girl who had bought Modern Bride and every other Bridal magazine, religiously every week since she was 15 and had first met him. She was the one who had meticulously planned her wedding day down to the last detail, and had it on laminated cards ever since she was 17.  
  
"That's right Elizabeth you have wanted to be married to him forever now." She tried to smile again.  
  
"Two minutes Lizzie." Sarah's oh-so perky voice accompanied by a woody woodpecker knock, came through the door. "I'll be up with daddy and the others."  
  
"Okay," Elizabeth managed a croak.  
  
"T-minus 2 minutes and counting."  
  
"Its' just nerves, every bride has those. Every bride gets jitters at some point or the other." She tried to buck herself up. "I'm sure every bride at one time or the other has eyed a second story window as her last chance for freedom."  
  
She turned away startled to find herself at that window and moved quickly to the table where her bouquet sat. She loved him, he loved her. Everyone said they were perfect for each other, and she had wanted him to be her husband since the moment she had met him. He was tall, blonde and perfect, the image of Prince Charming, most girls dreamed of. Resolute in her decision she lowered the veil and headed for the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jason Morgan paused at the crossroads and pulled off his helmet, resting it on the gas tank in front of him. He hated wearing the helmet, but he happened to be in a state that it was required. Since the last thing he wanted was to deal with the cops, he wore the helmet.  
  
He had been traveling for months now, just heading where the wind wanted to take him, no clear plan in mind. He never seemed to stay in one place for very long, the pull of the road called to him. Right now that particular call had been calling him rather loudly. So loudly in fact that he had left Denver at 6:00 in the morning and had found himself in this sleepy little town. Something was compelling him to move, and now he had come to a crossroads, and didn't know which way to head. As such he pulled a quarter from his pocket, to use his standard method of decision.  
  
He flipped the coin in the air and sun glinted off of it before he captured it in his hand once again. He could hear the sounds of church bells in the distance and it was the first sign of life he had heard in this small little hole in the wall town. He studied the coin and the eagle looked up at him. He tucked the coin back in his pocket and hit the right turn signal, more out of habit then need, put his helmet on, and took off.  
  
He had only gone about 10 yards when a flash of white burst from the bushes on his left and caught his attention. He turned his head automatically at the flicker on his peripheral vision. He had time to register a white dress and veil before braking hard to stop before hitting the woman in white who had come to a halt in front of him.  
  
Jason pulled the helmet off and looked back automatically at the bushes she had emerged from, expecting someone to appear, someone who was chasing her. But when no one did he focused on the still out of breath woman in front of his bike. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes." Elizabeth managed finally.  
  
The heavy gauzy material of the veil obscured her features, but he could place her mouth by the indentions that were being made in her veil, as she sucked in air. "Did you need some help?"  
  
"What kind of help could you give me?"  
  
Jason frowned at the unexpected question. "Did you need a ride to the church or something?"  
  
"Now why would I want to go back to the church when I've only just climbed out of a window to get away from it?" Elizabeth gestured with the bouquet that was still in her hand. "Going back now would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it?"  
  
"I guess so," Jason agreed.  
  
"Do you like motorcycles?" In an attempt to change the subject Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and tried to study the man astride the motorcycle. The gauzy material was diluting his features, but his voice sounded good. "Does it go fast?"  
  
"Yes." Jason answered automatically.  
  
"Yes to what?"  
  
"What?" Jason tapped on his helmet. He was beginning to wonder if the woman was hurt.  
  
"Yes to what question?" Elizabeth drawled slowly putting a hand on her hip. "How fast does that thing go anyway?"  
  
"Fast enough." Shaking his head at the inane conversation he shifted on the bike.  
  
Elizabeth shifted her hand, and it caught on the veil, yanking at her hair. "Ouch. Why the hell do you wear veils anyway? It's an archaic tradition don't you think?" She thrust her bouquet at him.  
  
Jason took the flowers automatically, dubiously looking at them before looking at her again.  
  
"They did it originally because of all the arranged marriages. They didn't want to take a chance of the groom seeing what the bride looked like before the wedding and backing out." She began to work on the veil trying to get it off her head. "That's kind of a double standard don't you think? I mean the woman would see what she was going to be stuck with, but not the men. If you think about it the whole giving the bride away is pretty sexist too, right?"  
  
Jason was beginning to get a headache, but something told him not to try to answer her question. He had a sense she didn't want him too.  
  
"I mean giving implies ownership. Back then I suppose father's owned their daughters, that was why they sold them into marriage for land or money. But you would think that we would get away from that custom in this day an age wouldn't you?" She bit back a curse as a stubborn pin refused to let go of her hair.  
  
Jason glanced over at a semi that was passing them, in time to see the grin and thumbs up from the driver. The blast of the horn sounded drowning out some of the girls talk, and he couldn't help but shake his head. This had to look a little strange. A biker in the middle of the road talking to a woman who appeared to be lost inside a white wedding dress.  
  
"But no we keep that in there, along with taking the husbands name. Why should a woman have to give up her name? I mean why should I have to give up my name?" Elizabeth demanded as the last pin finally gave way and she began to pull up the veil. "I hate my middle name and would gladly give it up, but I like my other names. Elizabeth Webber has a nice ring to it," she pulled the veil free and quickly reached out and grabbed the other end so it wasn't trailing on the ground anymore. "I mean what is so special about the name Elizabeth…" she trailed off when she finally focused on the man she had speaking to for the last five minutes.  
  
Gorgeous was the first description that came to her mind and it certainly fit him. His light brown hair was spiked at the top and had blonde highlights. Judging from the tan on his face, the highlights were from the sun and not a beautician. The angles in his strong looking face melded together to form one of the most interesting faces she'd ever seen either on or off screen.  
  
His sky blue electric eyes, matched his T-shirt and were focused on her so intensely that she felt her mouth dry up. She didn't think she'd ever been looked at in quite that way before, like what she was saying was the most important thing he'd ever heard. He was wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and boots completed the image of pure wild male at its best. She couldn't see much of his body, but she could tell he was lean. He shifted back on the seat then, stretching the T-shirt tight over his well-defined abs. Muscular was another word to describe him, at that thought her eyes drifted to his hands.  
  
Hands were her secret weakness. She could spend hours studying a man's hands. His were strong looking, tan, with long fingers. Her hand would no doubt be lost inside his. She would bet that there were calluses on his hand, he probably used them a lot, no manicures for this guy. She also bet they wouldn't be sweaty, and if she ever did hold his hand, it would be warm and secure. One complaint she had about her otherwise perfect fiancé was the fact his hands were cold and clammy. Needless to say they didn't hold hands very much, which was a pity given her obsession.  
  
"Are you okay?" Jason was now convinced that she had been injured in some way. She hadn't said anything since she'd removed her veil and he had a feeling that was a strange occurrence for her. She was younger then he'd thought, and smaller. The heavy veil and full dress made her seem larger then she really was. She was also very pretty.  
  
Her deep blue eyes were very striking, especially in her creamy white face. The blush that was beginning to cross her features under his close scrutiny was very becoming as well. He felt his body begin to react to her prettiness and he clamped the brakes on that emotion by pointing out the fact that she was dressed in a wedding gown.  
  
"I'm," she cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine." She was trying to think of something else to say to this beautiful man on the bike, but for once her mind was empty.  
  
"Okay then." Jason held out the bouquet at the same time the ringing of the church bells stopped.  
  
Elizabeth reacted to the lack of noise in her typical way, she began to panic. She dropped the veil on the ground and moved to the side of the bike.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Going with you." Nervousness over his proximity quickly gave way to her overwhelming need to get away.  
  
"Who said you can go with me?" Jason asked sharply.  
  
"Please I need to go," Elizabeth put a hand on the empty seat behind him. "They'll be looking for me and I need to think."  
  
"Is someone trying to force you to get married?" Even though he didn't want to be, he couldn't help but be drawn into those expressive eyes of hers, especially as she stood there and began to nibble on her bottom lip, sending another jolt of awareness through him.  
  
"No one is forcing me to get married, at least no one but me."  
  
Jason rubbed a hand over his cheek, she had lost him again. "Then tell him you changed your mind about marrying him." He stated what he thought was obvious.  
  
"Who said I changed my mind?" She shot back.  
  
"Look Elizabeth," he started slowly and patiently.  
  
"How do you know my name?" she interrupted eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
"You said it during your babble. Elizabeth Webber, you liked that name, but not your middle name." He saw her relax slightly and an unusual impulse to tease went through him. "What is your middle name anyway?"  
  
"That's privileged information. If I told you I'd have to kill you." She darted a look back at the way she had come. "So can you give me a ride?"  
  
"Where too?"  
  
"Anywhere but here."  
  
He didn't want to get involved. Pretty or not she had trouble written all over her. She must have seen the refusal in his eyes because she hurried on.  
  
"Please." She touched his arm and then dropped it immediately when she felt a jolt at the contact, and her mouth dried up again.  
  
Jason frowned down at his arm surprised at the feeling that all to brief contact awoke in him.  
  
Elizabeth knew she was running out of time and fumbled with the clasp on her diamond tennis bracelet. The bracelet had been a gift from her soon to be mother-in-law, but right now she only saw it as a chance for salvation. "Look take this for gas and your trouble."  
  
Jason looked down at the bracelet in surprise.  
  
"Please," she swallowed hard and took his hand. The jolt came again but she forced the bracelet in his hand. "Good I'm so glad we've agreed." She focused on the bike, then looked at her skirt, how the hell was she supposed to get on?  
  
She bit her lip and eyed the poofy full skirt. "You know I never saw the point in bustles or petticoats, did you?" She began to work off the petticoat from under her skirt. "I didn't even want this Cinderella dress." Stunned at that she hurried to correct that admission. "I mean of course I wanted the dress I designed it when I was 16 after all."  
  
Jason watched in amusement as the full skirt gradually slimmed down and a pile grew by where he thought her feet were. Elizabeth reminded him a lot of Carly. She did the talking while his only job was to listen at nod in agreement at times. He suddenly became aware of the silence and realized that this was one of those times. "I guess so."  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "Right." Finally free she stepped out of the pile. Her heel caught on one of the ruffles and she pitched forward. Jason steadied her immediately and he kept his hold on her while she stepped free and kicked the layers of her skirt away from her.  
  
"Thanks." She raised her head and realized his face was only a few inches from hers. Those eyes of his were even more amazing from close range. His hands were strong and warm and they were still on her waist. "What's your name?"  
  
"Jason." He kept his voice low and was a little surprised to find out how reluctant he was to let her go. Her waist was so small that his hands easily spanned her waist. His eyes were drawn to her mouth when she began to nibble on her bottom lip again, and his eyes darkened in awareness.  
  
"Jason." Her voice was equally soft and remarkably steady. "Will you take me with you?" She was stunned at her question but her gaze never wavered as his eyes locked on hers again.  
  
The woman was probably no more than 5'2" and if she weighed more than 115 lbs even in the monstrosity of the wedding dress he would eat dinner with the Quartermaines. And he also knew without a doubt that she was going to bring him nothing but trouble. And quite frankly he was tired of women causing him trouble so he opened his mouth to refuse.  
  
"Watch out for the muffler on the side, it could burn you."  
  
Her smile was brilliant and it brought a reluctant answering smile to his face.  
  
"Thanks Jason." Giving into the temptation that her family believed she was cursed with she hugged him.  
  
"Hey man you got the bride now get the church." The call came from behind her and was accompanied by a horn. Startled she drew back and turned in time to see a convertible full of guys go by. All were yelling and giving the thumbs up sign. "Forget the church find a motel."  
  
Jason ignored the taunts and watched a very flustered Elizabeth step away. "Are you sure you still want a ride?"  
  
Resolute Elizabeth nodded. She bent down and picked up her skirt, rolling it in her hands, exposing first a shapely calf, and onwards up over her leg, until he could see the edge of a blue garter high on her thigh. She gripped his arm and before he could speak, used his leverage to swing her leg over the seat.  
  
Jason waited until she bunched the skirt of the long dress underneath her before turning slightly to check that it wasn't touching something it shouldn't. His eyes lingered on her legs a little longer than necessary, before he finally set the open faced helmet on her head. "Strap in and hold on." Jason ordered turning away to start the bike.  
  
"Okay." She obeyed automatically wrapping her arms around his waist, slipping them between his open coat to rest on his soft T-shirt. Those muscles of his, tensed slightly under her touch.  
  
Jason started the bike with a little more force than necessary, when she pressed herself against his back. "Oh man."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." He picked up the bouquet off the gas tank and tucked it in her hand "Your flowers."  
  
Elizabeth turned to look as the sound of a loud horn and roar of a powerful engine came blaring down the road towards them, her eyes widened in distress when she recognized her sister's Porsche. "Go." She turned back. "Go, go, go."  
  
With a shake of his head he put the bike in gear and they took off, the white of her wedding dress flapping in the breeze.  
  
Elizabeth heard the horn blare again and let go of Jason long enough to toss the bouquet over her shoulder and in the direction of the car horn. Then she wrapped her hands around Jason again and held on as the wind began to whip past them. 


	2. Ready to Run

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Disclaimer: Jason, Elizabeth, Audrey, and Sarah, aren't mine, they are being misused on GH. The others though come from my own little mind.

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Feedback: Well let's put it this way I'm not holding my breath, but please surprise me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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Bride on the Loose

Part II

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~Noon~

Jason Morgan was used to being stared at. From the moment he had woken up, stares had followed him. First it was the hopeful stares of his 'family' desperately searching for the man, who had once had his body, his face. The perfect man that seemed to be the great hope, the good luck charm and savior of the Quartermaine clan all at the same time.

The Quartermaine's were doomed to disappointment, because that man they were searching for had died on January 12, 1996 the day Jason Morgan woke up as a 22-year-old infant. When he had left the hospital he'd still felt the stares and along with the stares came the comments. _There goes the guy who was once so smart and now he's just brain damaged._ _What a waste. The poor Quartermaine's_ and so on.

He never understood why people seemed to think that just because he had a head injury that he was deaf as well. Because they did, they would raise their voices and speak slowly like they were speaking to a child who didn't understand. He understood more then they thought he did, he had just learned early on how to use that misconception to his advantage. People ended up thinking he was stupid and would stare, and it worked for him, because they left him alone. The people that mattered knew the truth anyway, and other people, well they found out the hard way.

After he had went to work for Sonny the stares were different. They became less open, more furtive. No one made eye contact for very long but he could still feel their eyes on him. Over the years he had grown used to the stares and rarely ever thought about it. The mask he wore, as Carly called it, was second skin to him so he barely even noticed. Even when he traveled, and people didn't know about his association with Sonny, people still stared. The smaller the town was, the more stares he got, apparently bikers were people that were to be watched with suspicion.

All of that though didn't prepare him for the stares he was now receiving. The sight of a woman in a wedding dress, riding on the back of a motorcycle, must not happen very often, because they were sure attracting attention.

People honked and waved, yelled out congratulations and at times began to follow them, like some sort of procession. Although Elizabeth had left the veil on the road and tried to keep the skirt tucked away, it was obvious what she was wearing. And the fact she was with a guy in jeans instead of a tux, seemed to make it that much more interesting.

He shot a fulminating glare at a convertible that had been beside them for about 10 miles now. The driver, an idiot in his 30's seemed to have a fascination with Elizabeth's legs. As such, every hundred yards or so he would edge the car closer trying to get a nice long look. Jason was rapidly reaching the point that he regretted tucking his gun in his bedroll. He was certain that if he could wave it in the direction of the balding, idiot he would get the point and leave.

Elizabeth arms tightened around him as the car came closer again and drew his attention to her. It was strange riding with a woman again. Since Robin and him had broken up seven months earlier he hadn't even ridden with another person. Robin, Carly and Emily were the only women that had ever been on his bike with him. Emily had been wide-eyed at the time, Robin had enjoyed it, but she never seemed to relax. And Carly, well when she was on the bike they used it mainly as a tool, to get them to Jake's as quickly as possible so they could have sex.

Elizabeth was different than the others. She must either have a bike of her own, or was on something because she was very relaxed. She leaned with his body, instinctively matching her's to his the split second he moved. He had never felt so in tune with another person before. One time he even thought he heard her laughing, as they took a sharp turn a little faster than normal and spun some gravel up on the road.

His attention was drawn back to the convertible, which by now was so close to them that a piece of paper probably wouldn't fit between the bike and the car. Jason tipped the sunglasses down his nose and stared hard at the driver, who made the mistake of meeting his eyes. After a long moment the driver broke Jason's unwavering glare of warning and stepped hard on the accelerator leaving the bike behind him.

Jason felt Elizabeth sag against him slightly in what he took to be relief and felt bad for not doing it sooner. His eye fell on the gas gauge and knew it was time to look for a station. He was a little amazed when he saw it was nearly empty and checked his watch. He had picked Elizabeth up over two hours ago, and it had only felt like 15 minutes. He shook his head at the realization and began to scan the signs looking for a gas station.

~*~*~*~*~

Elizabeth barely waited for him to switch off the engine before ripping her helmet off and getting off the bike. In her haste she stepped on the hem of her dress causing her to pitch forward Jason steadied her before she could hit the ground.

"That was amazing." Elizabeth cried keeping her hands on his shoulders, her smile wide on her face. "It was like we were flying. The wind was so loud and everything was just screaming by. And the rush I got when we went whipping around those curves." Her voice tailed off when she noticed how near his face was. His eyes were hidden by the dark lenses, but she could still feel the weight of his stare, and it made her swallow, hard. She'd only had one steady boyfriend in her life and that was her fiance, but that hadn't kept her from at least looking and appreciating other men from a distance. But this man, she was now touching, was so much closer than she normally allowed a man to get, and the feelings he aroused in her, were making her uncomfortable.

That damn nervous tic of hers was going to drive him insane. No one had gotten under his skin like this before, but the sight of her worrying her bottom lip was tempting him, to act on this sudden attraction.

She let go of him and stepped back, placing her hands on her face. "My cheeks ache from smiling so much." It was just the situation and the fact, that he was a good-looking man, it was just a hormonal reflex, nothing more than that.

"You haven't ridden before?" Jason got off the bike and reached for the gas cap, as long as he wasn't looking at her or touching her, this attraction was no big deal. Maybe it was time to find someone else again, at least for a night or two, as long as it wasn't going to lead to a relationship.

"No, I always wanted to, but none of my friends have one." She ran a hand over the leather seat that was still warm to the touch. "Jeeps are more practical for Colorado winters."

Jason nodded and kept his eye on the gas gauge.

He sure doesn't talk much, she thought as she looked at his back and turned when she heard a noise behind her. "Do you have a bathroom?" She asked the attendant who had walked out of the small convenience shop.

"Yeah it's around back." The man nodded and stepped back inside to get the key. The sight of the wedding dress on the girl didn't surprise him, he'd seen much stranger things in his day. After all Elvis had just gotten gas here last week.

Elizabeth turned back to look at Jason who was now crouched beside the bike doing something to the engine. Some manly ritual that all guys felt they had to do whenever they were at filling stations. Jason at least seemed to know what he was doing. Some men, just liked to fiddle with their dipsticks trying to impress people, it never worked.

"Have you figured out where you want to go yet?"

His question startled her out of her musings. Go? She didn't know where she wanted to go, she didn't even know why she had run in the first place. She had tried to open the door to join her father, and walk down the aisle. And found that she couldn't do it, before she knew what was going on, she'd locked the door, climbed out the window and was running. If she had ran like that during her track team tryouts, she might have made the team.

"Elizabeth?" Jason looked up at her when she didn't answer. She was certainly a sight, her brown curly hair was slipping from its hold on her head. At one time she'd had a ring of flowers in her hair, but now part of them were either gone, or were hidden by the brown curls that flowed loose on the left side of her head. The right side was still stubbornly pinned up. The white lace of her dress had a tear on her right shoulder, he hadn't noticed it before she had gotten on the bike, so the wind must have caused it. Her cheeks were red also from the wind, he imagined. He had considered her pretty when she had first removed her veil, now standing there, all disheveled and mussed from the wild ride, he thought she was beautiful, and that concerned him. This unwilling attraction he was feeling for the girl in the wedding gown could lead to nothing but trouble, he just had to remember that.

"No, I don't know where to go." Elizabeth answered finally.

He didn't like the uncertainty in her voice. "So you just want to ride around on the back of my bike for the rest of the day?" He asked gruffly, as she began to worry her lip again.

"Look if I wanted questions I would have stayed at the church." Elizabeth fired back, putting her hands on her hips. The movement caused the Irish lace of her dress to rip along the seams. "Damn." She looked at the intricately woven overlay of lace and gauze that ran down her arm, then frowned at the seam on her shoulder. It was only hanging on by a few threads now.

"I think I have a right to ask. It's my bike after all. You're just the person who jumped on it." His voice was sharp both as a reminder to himself not to be drawn to her, and also as a barrier to keep her away.

"I'm paying you for the ride." Elizabeth tugged on her sleeve and the rest of the sleeve popped free. "Peachy," she frowned at the lace in her hand. The lace had been a recent addition. Her original design had called for a simple bodice of satin, with thin shoulder straps. But that was determined to be too tame for this day and age, according to her mother. So the dress she had designed at 16 had been modified, to include the fancy Irish lace that overlaid the bodice, and the long sleeves went down in the form of a V to her hands, with a loop around her finger to hold it in place.

She had been against the lace, but since it was only her wedding she had lost the argument, she had only basted the lace on, so she wasn't exactly sorry to see it go. But now she had one long sleeve of Irish lace, and one bare sleeve, shaking her head she wondered what was next.

The attendant cleared his throat, and held out a key that was on a chain that had a plunger attached to the other end of it. "It's the second door around back." He couldn't help but overhear what the bride had said. She was paying the guy for a ride. He wondered how someone could get that job, his son sure needed one. 

"Thanks." Elizabeth eyed the plunger warily, hoping she wouldn't need it.

Jason had forgotten all about the bracelet she had shoved in his hand, he had no intention of keeping it, he pulled off his shades and went to correct her assumption.

"Considering the diamonds on the bracelet are real, I think that's more than enough for a ride to wherever I want to go, and also for some lunch along the way." Elizabeth spoke before he could, her stomach had chosen to remind her that she hadn't ate yet that day, and had been unable to keep anything down for days as the wedding had approached.

"So now you expect me to feed you too?" Jason crossed his arms over his chest, that unusual impulse to tease came to him again. "How do I know that the diamond bracelet is even real? It could be paste for all I know."

Her eyes narrowed at the insult. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"I didn't say that," Jason corrected mildly. "I just don't know very many people who give away diamond bracelets, to go for a ride, when they don't even know where they are going."

"Excuse me for not having money on me," she pulled at the sides of her skirt. "This dress didn't come with pockets."

Her voice had risen and they were beginning to attract even more attention. Jason didn't like to attract attention. "Maybe you should have changed first, or even spoken to the person you left at the altar instead of just running away then."

Elizabeth huffed out a breath and crossed her arms over her chest, causing the seams on her other shoulder to begin to pop. She ignored that and glared at Jason, anyone who knew Elizabeth would recognize that look and run for cover. It was unfortunate for Jason that he didn't know her. 

"I gave you the bracelet to get you to help me." She ignored his suggestion of what she should have done at the church, however right he was she didn't want to hear it. "After all you were about to drive off and leave me alone on the side of the road."

Jason could feel the eyes drilling into the back of his neck when she said that. "You were what? A quarter mile from the church, it's not like you were in the middle of nowhere."

The quieter Jason's voice got, the louder she made her own. "But you would have left if I hadn't given you my bracelet. It's a real diamond bracelet, and I'm not asking for that much, a ride and some food. Is that really so much to ask?" Her voice finished on a wobble.

A loud Harrumph sounded from behind him and Jason rubbed wearily at his neck. Sometimes he hated being right and this was one of those times. She was definitely trouble with a capital T. "I never said we wouldn't eat," he allowed finally.

"Good," her smile was bright, and her voice firm again. Mentally congratulating herself she took a step towards the bathroom, before stopping and turning back again. "I think I'll wait."

"Whatever." Jason wiped his hands clean with a paper towel. He was more than ready to get away from the filling station and the interested crowd that kept growing, the longer they stood there arguing.

Elizabeth shifted on her feet. "How long do you think it will be?"

"I don't know," Jason shrugged. "The signs on the road say the next town is about 33 miles or so."

33 miles? Elizabeth managed to hold back her groan as she shifted on her feet. "How long will that take?"

Jason wiped the bugs off his headlight and tossed the rag in the trash. "It depends, were on two lane now, probably 20 or 25 minutes."

Shifting again she decided she could wait that long. "Okay," she said with a sigh.

Jason glanced over at her when he heard her tone, she looked decidedly uncomfortable. "I still have to pay. There's time if you need a minute."

"I'm fine." She trailed him as he headed for the door, absently twirling the plunger by the key chain.

Jason glanced back and again noticed her discomfort on her face. He turned back around and stopped in the doorway, when the reason for her reluctance hit him.

Elizabeth jerked to a halt, her face inches from his broad back, and automatically took a step back when he turned on her.

He studied her face and read the uncertainty in her blue eyes and softened his voice. "You think I'm going to leave," he lowered his voice even more, when her eyes flashed. "You think I'll get on my bike and leave you here."

Elizabeth flushed guiltily. She had been thinking that, after all she had just tricked him into feeding her. And if she was going to get technical, she'd kind of over-ridden his original objections to get him to take her with him in the first place. "Well," she shifted again this time out of guilt and refused to meet those all too knowing blue eyes of his.

The thought quite simply had never crossed his mind. "Elizabeth I won't leave you here."

His voice was so low now, it was almost hypnotic. She was quite sure that her name had never sounded like that before. Although she was quite fond of her whole name, it had never sounded mysterious before. "How do I know that?" She asked softly.

For an instant her mask had dropped and Jason could see the vulnerable and confused woman that had ran out of a church. Her quick wit and mouth hid her vulnerability so well, that he had almost missed it. Again a need to help, to reassure her, rose up in him and he tried to force it back, but it was no use. "I promise I won't leave you until you get where you want to be."

He waited and watched her as her blue eyes studied his face, and his eyes. He felt like she was sizing him up, and despite her youth and apparent flightiness, he had no doubt that her eyes were shrewd at the moment. A different mask had slid over her features, hinting at even more layers in the girl, no woman before him. He was beginning to wonder how many layers she had, and hated that he did.

"I'll be right back." Elizabeth's voice was firm and she turned and headed for the bathroom around the building.

Jason watched the woman in white disappear from view before turning to head into the shop, apparently he had passed muster.

The attendant, a toothless, man with a scraggly gray beard, and a chaw of tobacco in his mouth, took the money from Jason before making his move. "So I was wondering how did you get in your line of work?"

Jason flicked his eye to the nametag, and then scanned the room, before turning his sharp eyes back on the man in front of him. "What line of work is that Gus?"

Gus spat on the floor and a thin line of brown liquid dribbled on his chin. "Now there ain't no reason to hide the truth. I heard what the girl said. I ain't wondering for myself," he grinned at that thought, and showed the gap of his missing front teeth. Then he pointed to the picture hanging on the wall behind him.

Jason automatically looked at the photo and registered the outline of a dark haired man on a horse.

"My son needs a job and I think he could do quite well in your field. All the ladies round here, think he's quite the catch." Gus leaned against the counter and spit again. "Why Ms. Merman his 6th grade teacher was caught peeping on him just last year. That caused quite a scandal at the weekly bridge and Kiwanis meetings let me tell you."

Jason ran a hand over his cheek and did his best to follow the old man, who seemed to have no desire to give him his change. "What exactly do you think I do?"

"I told you boy, there's no reason to be shy about it." Gus headed for the door, handing Jason the money as he passed by. "I know you're a gigolo." He spat again when he hit the doorway.

Jason's eyes followed the spittle before training his now cold eyes on Gus again. "A gigolo?"

~*~*~*~*~

"Collect from Elizabeth."

__

"Hold please, while we try that number." The monotone androgynous voice replied.

Computers were slowly beginning to take over the world. She wondered if anyone besides her had seen Westworld and knew what would happen if that occurred. Elizabeth shook her head and stretched the cord as far as it would allow her trying to see around the corner. The bike was still there.

She wasn't really surprised that it was. There was something in Jason's eyes, when he made that promise to her that made her believe him. She didn't even know his last name, and she could sense an element of danger and controlled violence in him, that should make her wary around him. Yet she trusted him. She believed him when he said he wouldn't leave.

Her belief in the word of a stranger, would be considered by her family as yet another example of her own impulsive behavior. Her family blamed that behavior as what was sending her down the path to ruination. They loved to lay the blame at her Grandmother's feet as well.

__

"Elizabeth are you there?"

The faint squawk of the phone made Elizabeth back off a step and press the receiver to her ear. "Hi Gram."

__

Audrey smothered a sigh of relief. She had known Elizabeth was okay, but it was still a relief to hear from her. "You certainly know how to make an exit." She commented dryly.

Elizabeth huffed out a breath and leaned against the wall. "I didn't mean too. It just sort of happened."

__

"I figured that, your eyes were a bit wide this morning. And if it had to happen I'm glad it did before the I do's and not after them." Audrey stepped further away from Claire's histrionics over Elizabeth's behavior being the death knell of their societal obligations. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just confused." She began to pick at the one sleeve she still had left.

__

"Sarah said something about you being kidnapped by a Hell's Angel."

"I wasn't kidnapped," Elizabeth fired back hotly. "In fact it was more like I was the one who kidnapped Jason."

__

Audrey had no trouble believing that. "So his name is Jason? Sarah was sure it was Spike or Crusher, something like that. After all according to her, all bikers are bald, fat, greasy, tattoo laden criminals." Audrey's mimicry of Sarah's voice was dead on.

"Jason is none of those things. He has light brown hair, with these blonde highlights that are caused by the sun, and it sort of spikes up at the top but it's very nice. He is definitely not fat either. He has broad shoulders, and his chest sort of tapers down his waist into a v-shape along his hips. He is muscular, but lean, he reminds me of a cat, especially when he moves." She sucked in a breath. "He's not greasy either. He may have some under his fingernails but that's because he uses his hands, and they are very strong. As for tattoos' I haven't seen any yet." And she had been looking.

__

Audrey wondered at the detailed description, her granddaughter was giving her, and decided to test a theory. "Sarah wanted to call the police and report him for kidnapping you, so you could be his sex slave."

She was so insulted that for a minute all she could do was sputter. "I wasn't kidnapped, I ran. And Jason would never have to kidnap someone to be his sex slave, hell he'd probably have volunteers for the job." Her cheeks colored at that remark and she yanked hard at her sleeve, tearing it free. "Gram you can't let her call the police, he didn't do anything wrong. You know what they'll think. A guy on a bike, they'll get it all wrong, they could even hurt him. Gram you got to stop her."

__

"Elizabeth relax." Audrey interrupted her before she could really get going. "I know how Sarah tends to exaggerate, so I took care of her in the usual way."

"The valium in the Pepsi?"

__

"She was mighty perky today, it took two." Audrey pushed open the door and studied her other granddaughter who had finally crashed. Leave it to Sarah to pick the never used weight room to finally collapse in. She couldn't help but smile at the soft snores coming from the blonde who was asleep on a weight bench. She was still dressed in her bridesmaid dress, and the green taffeta hid the bench from view.

"That's a relief." Elizabeth leaned back against the wall and studied some of the writings there by the phone. _For a good time call … If you want a trip to hell call Michele…_ She idly traced the last number with her finger. "How is he?"

__

Audrey closed the door on her granddaughter and walked outside the house. "He was hurt of course, and worried about you."

Elizabeth flinched.

__

"But he wasn't surprised."

"What?" It was hard to get the word past the guilt that was choking her.

__

"Don't forget that the man you were marrying is also your best friend. He knew something was going on with you." Audrey settled on the porch swing. "Even though he was hurt because you didn't talk to him, he wasn't surprised."

"I didn't want to hurt him, I still don't," she slid down the wall to the dirt on the ground, and didn't care. "I love him."

__

"I know you do, and he loves you too."

Elizabeth ran a hand through her messed up curls. "I thought you were against him and I getting married. That you didn't like him."

__

"How could I not like him? Since the day you met him, when you were 15, he has wanted nothing then what was best for you. My objection to the wedding has nothing to do with him. It has to do with the fact that you might be settling for a familiar, comfortable love, instead of reaching for the passionate, all-consuming love that life offers."

"So you think if I go through with the marriage I would be settling?" Elizabeth asked desperate for advice from the one person she trusted above all others.

__

"It's not settling if you know with all of your heart that you are making the right choice. Until you can say that for sure, then you will be settling Elizabeth." Audrey sighed and knew that it was time to stop pushing her. "Do you need any money?"

"I don't even know where I am?" Elizabeth admitted, twisting her sleeve in her hands she looked around. "We're at a gas station. Jason says the next town is about 30 miles away and were going to stop for some food there."

__

Audrey's thrill of adventure warred with her common sense and since it concerned Elizabeth there was no contest. "Are you sure you can trust this Jason? I know you're a good judge of character, but are you sure your safe with him?"

Elizabeth got to her feet and peeked around the corner, Jason still wasn't in sight. "I don't know why but I know I can trust him."

__

"If it's a matter of money I can send you some, and that way you'll still have time to figure things out." Audrey hesitated then hurried on. "I don't know this Jason so I'm not judging him, I just know that sometimes people aren't who they appear to be."

"I know Gram. I can't explain it myself, I don't even know his last name, but I know he won't hurt me." Something had passed between them when he had promised her he wouldn't leave her. She wasn't sure what exactly, but she knew she would be okay as long as she was with him. "I'm not naïve Gram I know that there are all sorts of people in the world, but I trust Jason."

__

Audrey worried her bottom lip, in a habit that she shared with her granddaughter, she would trust Elizabeth's judgment. "You keep in touch with me then."

"I will." Elizabeth's eyes widened when a furious looking Jason stalked out of the shop and headed for his bike. "I gotta go Gram, tell him," she trailed off, the tried again. "Tell him,"

__

"He told me to tell you something." Audrey interrupted.

"How did he know I'd call you?"

__

"He is your best friend, he knows you." Audrey explained. "He told me to tell you, that when you were ready to talk, you'll know where to find him. And until then to take care of yourself, and to trust yourself." 

Guilt and love made her eyes tear up. She blinked them away and saw Jason stalking by the bike, but making no effort to get on it. "I have to go."

__

"Call me and let yourself live." Audrey ordered.

Elizabeth hung up the phone and dashed towards the bike. Her satin pumps slipped on some grease on the ground but she held her balance. "Thanks." She thrust the plunger/key and her sleeve at Gus who emerged from the shop and began to roll up her skirt again.

Jason leveled a hard glare at Gus and climbed on the bike, Elizabeth scrambled on after him. "Put on your helmet."

Elizabeth wondered about the bite in his voice but complied. She turned to focus on Gus who paused beside her. "Yes?"

"I asked him but he wouldn't tell me, so I'll ask you." Gus raised his voice when Jason started the bike with a roar.

"Ask me what?" She asked tightening her chinstrap.

"Are you ready Elizabeth?" Jason revved the motor but didn't put it in gear yet, because she wasn't holding on.

"I wanted to know how he became a gigolo. More specifically how he became your gigolo." Gus yelled the words, so he could be heard over the engine, and caused heads to turn in their direction.

Elizabeth's mouth fell open and a swearing Jason threw the bike into gear and took off. Elizabeth quickly wrapped her arms around his waist. Jason tried to banish the words from his mind and instead heard her full-throated laughter as it echoed on the wind.


	3. Just a Gigolo

****

Disclaimer: Jason, Elizabeth, Audrey, and Sarah, aren't mine, they are being misused on GH. The others though come from my own little mind.

****

Feedback: Well let's put it this way I'm not holding my breath, but please surprise me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

****

Bride on the Loose

Part III

****

~Lunch~

Elizabeth was humming and Jason was glowering when he pulled the bike to a halt in front of a burger joint called the Tasty Fre_ _ _, the last three letters of the sign were burned out. Instead of the word Freeze some enterprising person had put up new letters on a plain piece of paper.

Elizabeth slid gracefully from the bike and the full skirt fell close to the ground, hiding her shapely calves from view, and studied the sign. "I've never eaten at a Tasty Freaks have you? I wonder what the specialty is."

Jason took the helmet from her hands and placed it on the taillight ignoring her question and the stares they were receiving from the partially filled picnic tables and led the way to the ordering window.

"You don't talk much do you?" Elizabeth fell into step beside him, absently shooting a mile wide smile at a teenage boy with freckles causing a blush that matched his hair.

He ignored her question and joined the line at the window.

Elizabeth studied his set shoulders and began to hum again. Her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own and they moved from his shoulders, down his back until they reached his butt that was partially hidden by his jacket. She had to admit that the part that was visible through the tight blue jeans was sure nice. "Just a gigolo and everywhere I go, people are," she grinned cheekily when Jason turned to glare at her.

~*~*~*~

"Oh look it's a bride." Deb Vee cried out loudly. Pushing her pinch-nez glasses higher on her nose she focused on the bride who was several yards away.

Michele Cott turned around to look and narrowed her eyes when she spied the petite brunette. "Odd place to eat after you get married.

"Odd dress too," Dana North commented. "Is that what they call new wave? And where is the groom?"

"She isn't here with a groom," Julie Tones snapped. "Am I the only way who was paying attention? She got off that bike over there and there is no way that the man she's here with is her groom."

"What makes you say that?" Deb demanded leaning farther over the table, almost too far.

"Watch it," Julie warned her friend, moving the bowl of baked beans to another place on the table, before Deb's ample bosom found the container. They lost more food that way.

"I agree," Michele commented. "Did you see the size of the rock on her finger? No way he bought her that ring," she narrowed her eyes and studied the man again. "He sure is nice to look at though. They make a striking couple, her brunette and petite, while he's so big and blonde. I wonder if he's big everywhere."

"Michele," Dana chided her friend. Ever since Michele's husband Pete had died three years ago, Michele had entered into a second childhood of sorts. Only her childhood seemed to begin and end at the hormone crazed teen years. Which wouldn't be so bad except Michele would never see 60 again.

"He's her lover." Deb cried loudly, clasping her hands to her chest. "That's so romantic. He must have burst into the church and took her away before the I do's."

"Deb," Julie interrupted with a sigh.

"Oh I bet it was just like in that movie. He probably came through the door right at the part where the minister asks if there are any objections."

"Deb!" Dana tried this time but it was no good.

"He probably declared his love and she ran off with him, leaving her groom standing there holding the bouquet," her green eyes were shining from the sheer romance of it all. "Or maybe he didn't give her a choice. Instead he just picked her up and carried her out of the church, claiming her for his bride."

"Yeah he claimed her and brought her to the Tasty Freak," Julie commented dryly. "Real romantic guy."

"She probably struggled at first. But inside I bet her heart was racing, thrilled over being taken like that." Deb had always wanted to be taken. But Mike, the man who was supposed to do the taking had died in Korea, so she was left with only the romantic dreams of how it could have been. Those dreams were nourished monthly by the delivery of her latest Harlequins and Loveswept.

"And she's off again," Michele muttered before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Wasn't it your turn to watch her?" Dana asked.

"Hush. Don't you see the romance of it all?" Deb rested her chin on her hands and studied the couple. "I can feel the love all the way over here," she leaned forward again and Dana quickly moved the potato salad out of her breasts reach. "Oh I wish I could hear the romantic things he was saying," she whispered when the man turned around to speak to the bride.

~*~*~*~

"What are you doing?" Jason all but growled the question.

"Me?" Elizabeth smiled up at him innocently. "I'm just singing."

"Is that what you call it? I thought someone was torturing you."

Smile gone she glared at him. "My voice is not that bad."

"If you don't mind the whole tone deaf experience it's quite nice." The perverse need to tease her was back. He wasn't surprised to see her eyes narrow as she rose to take the bait.

"I'm not tone deaf." She put her hands on her hips to glare at him, and another rip sound came from the delicate lace.

"If you say so." Jason turned around and went back to ignoring her.

"Maybe your upset because the words hit a little too close to home," Elizabeth challenged him. Infuriated when he didn't acknowledge her taunt she went on in a louder voice. "Don't you want anyone to know that you're my lover for hire?"

A teenage girl who had just taken a drink of her soda choked and turned to look at them. But neither one looked back at her, or any of the others who were now staring around them.

Jason kept his eyes focused on the ordering menu and tried the counting method, to work off the irritation he was feeling. The counting method never worked but it gave part of his mind something to do, while another part was cursing the fact that he had promised not to ditch the definite pain in the butt named Elizabeth.

Angered that he was still ignoring her she was about to go on when her stomach growled loudly at her. The sound reminded her of the fact that she had no money and if he chose not to, he didn't have to buy her any food. The thought of no food made her swallow her next tease as an appetizer for lunch. 

She idly wondered where the need to provoke him came from in the first place. She wasn't really a brat, although she had been called one by her family at times. But she definitely had been acting like one. She had always preferred the word spunky instead of bratty as a description though. Or at least she had until Sarah had commented that the word spunky always reminded her of Scrappy Doo.

Sarah needed to break away from the cartoon network more often.

Dismissing the viewing habits of her older sister as a lost cause, she focused on the man in front of her. Her unusual testiness was probably because of the fact that she had walked out on her own wedding. Doing that was bound to throw even Mother Teresa for a loop, although Mother Teresa getting married was a whole other can of worms. 

She sighed and concentrated on her own mess. She was out of sorts because she was standing at the Tasty Freaks in her wedding dress, on her wedding day with a man whose last name she didn't even know. It had nothing to do with Jason himself.

She was jostled from behind and moved closer to Jason. Close enough that she could smell him. She could smell the slight mixture of gas and oil coming off of him. But more then that she could smell him. The spicy strong scent of pure male suited him. She sucked in another whiff, trying to place the scent, it was unique, it was inviting, it was…

Only a hormonal reaction.

Her brain screeched to a halt and she took a step back, only then realizing she had all but pressed her nose into his coat. Her reaction to him was brought on by the stress of the last few weeks. And, maybe, possibly, a very, very **slight** physical attraction to him. After all she wasn't dead and he was kind of cute, she studied his profile, kind of cute, in that whole drop dead gorgeous kind of way.

"Elizabeth?"

Not drop dead gorgeous, that sounded like to preppy of a description for him. He was gorgeous yes. But he was also wild, and sort of rough around the edges. Sort of like someone who wasn't quite tamed. He wasn't refined, he wasn't polished, but he was interesting. Unfortunately for her she had always been drawn to the wild.

"Elizabeth?" Jason touched her arm in concern when she just continued to stare at him.

"Huh?" She blinked up at him lazily. Yes definitely wild, she thought when she met his concerned gaze.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Eat?" The mention of food brought her back to reality and she tore her gaze away from him and focused on the bored teen behind the counter. "I'll have a Bacon Double Cheeseburger, no onions or mustard, 2 large orders of onion rings, a large double chocolate shake," she paused and studied the menu. "Oh and a cherry pie for dessert," she turned to face Jason. "Are you getting anything?"

He just shook his head, but the half grin stayed on his face while he placed his order. "I'll have the same, but a soda instead of a shake." He had no idea where she was going to put everything.

"Why don't you get fries then we could share?" Elizabeth asked then turned to the counterman. "He'll have fries."

"Are you always this bossy?"

"When it comes too food yes." She rested her elbows on the counter and peered through the mesh window. She hated to wait for food. "Hey they have Nacho's do you like them?"

Jason glanced down at the woman on his right, the delicate lace had split up her back right along a line of small delicate buttons, exposing her skin to his view. It was pale, and looked very soft and inviting. He was about to look away when she shifted, and the edge of dark mark was exposed on her shoulder. He immediately thought it was a bruise, but then she shifted again and he could make out a faint pattern to the design. 

The bride had a tattoo. She was definitely going to be more trouble than he had originally thought.

"You better add an order of Nacho's," he called out with a sigh and deliberately put his hands in his pockets, so he didn't give into temptation to move the strap that was hiding the tattoo, so he could see exactly what it was.

~*~*~*~

"She's so tiny. I bet she hardly eats a thing." Dana groused, being on a perpetual diet, women who were size 2's were always on her not to be trusted list.

"Then he must eat for her." Michele nudged her friend and pointed at the couple making their way to the table next to them. Both were carrying overflowing trays.

"God her dress is falling apart at the seams," Julie mentioned.

"No," Michele corrected. "Not her dress, just the lace overlay."

"He must have gotten impatient," Deb whispered loudly. "He just had to have her and didn't want to undo the buttons." She broke off when her friends turned to glare at her in warning. "Hey it could happen. I've read about it."

~*~*~*~

Jason watched Elizabeth eat with a half smile on his face. People had accused him of being single minded when it came to food, but he had to admit he had nothing on the bride. What amazed him was the fact, that although the food kept disappearing from her plate, the conversation on her end never lagged. Well he should say the conversation never lagged, because his input wasn't required very often. She wasn't rude about it, but it seemed she loved to talk, and he had discovered quickly, she chose to talk with her hands. A testament to that fact was the population of squirrels that had grown near the picnic table, waiting for the next pile of crumbs to be dropped from the table when she gestured.

"I think my favorite place I've been is Greece. It was so amazing," Elizabeth paused and took a drink of her shake. "The water there is amazing, the sights are pretty great too. But definitely not for the faint of heart, everywhere you look there is plenty of skin on display."

Jason glanced down at the fry that had fallen to the ground, with her last remark. The big gray squirrel had beaten the others to the punch for that one too. Pretty soon he would be too fat to beat the others to the food.

"So do you like to travel?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah." 

Elizabeth waited for him to go on, but he didn't. She had discovered that seemed to be his pattern. If she asked him a question he offered one word replies. It was a little unsettling, so she had been determined to fill up the silences, and had she ever. "You don't talk much do you?" She asked again.

Jason shot her a look. "When was I supposed to talk?"

She acknowledged the hit with an irrepressible grin that brought an answering one to his mouth. "I have a tendency to go on, but I don't like silences."

"I'm surprised you've ever heard silence."

"I'm not that bad," she cried flipping a French fry at him, her eyes widened in surprise when he caught it before it could hit his chest. "Nice reflexes."

Jason shrugged. "Have you given any more thought about where you want to go?"

"No," her expression grew serious. "I just don't want to go back yet."

He could see the pain in her eyes, and decided not to push. "Then don't."

"Just like that I can stay with you?" She asked studying him thoughtfully. "Just how long of a ride will my jewelry buy me with you?"

~*~*~*~

Michele began to choke when she heard the bride ask that question. Concerned Dana began pounding her on the back. "Did you," Michele gasped, "hear that?"

"Yes," Dana nodded her own eyes wide.

"What?" Deb demanded, she couldn't hear a damn thing and it was all her stupid vanity's fault. If she wasn't so proud she would have worn her hearing aid and she could hear what was going on too.

"She's paying him." Julie whispered.

"For what?"

"Somehow I don't think its polka lessons," Julie replied.

"You mean he's a, a"

"Quiet Deb," Dana hissed.

"But he's a gig-"

"Shut up," Michele warned her with a glare. "I can't hear what he's saying."

Three of the women at the table leaned farther back, straining to hear the conversation occurring at the table behind them. While the fourth forgot herself and leaned closer as well, unfortunately the only thing she managed to do was find the potato salad.

"Darn it." Deb hissed dabbing at her chest with a napkin.

"Shhhhhhh."

~*~*~*~

Instinct told Jason not to tell her that he wasn't going to keep her bracelet as payment. He had a feeling if he told her he didn't want payment from her, she would be very suspicious. Elizabeth may be flighty, but she didn't strike him as stupid. She also had enough on her plate, without wondering why a man she had never met before was willing to help her for no reason. 

Somewhere during lunch he had realized that she wasn't that annoying. He had gotten used to being alone, since he had left Port Charles. But it was nice to talk to someone again. Or actually listen to someone again. He had a brief thought of listening to Carly and tried to banish it before the pain could arrive. But he couldn't quite manage it.

"Jason are you okay?" Elizabeth touched his hand in concern. His eyes had gone flat, and she could have sworn she had seen pain in them, before he shut down.

"I'm fine," he answered briefly. "You can ride with me as long as you want. Or until you annoy me."

"Alright," belatedly realizing she was still touching his hand, she reached for her shake. "But I have the ability to annoy people really quickly."

"I noticed."

"It's a gift," she grinned and reached for another nacho, pausing when she heard the lace rip some more. "Damn'it."

"That seems to happen a lot," Jason commented, earning a glare.

"I know, it's this damn lace," Elizabeth grumbled. "I never wanted it on the dress to begin with. But supposedly it was my great-great-great grandmother's or was it great-great?" She waved the question off. "Anyway it belonged to a grandmother of mine, and my mom said I had to use the lace in my dress. Of course she brings this up after I had the dress made. I hated the lace, it changed the whole style of the dress. It makes me look like a souped up Southern Belle with a hoop skirt," she reached for the plastic knife on the table. "So I only basted it on the dress to begin with. You should have seen my mom's face when I cut some of the precious lace to make this overlay," she grinned. "I thought she was going to have kittens. Was it wrong to be disappointed that she didn't?"

"What are you doing?" Jason caught her hand holding the knife.

"I told you it's only basted, I'm going to cut those threads and get this damn lace off," she tugged at her hand, but he didn't let go. "It's only attached to the bodice by a few threads on each strap, and then around the waist."

He finally let go of her hand, and she lowered her hand under the table and went to work on the stitches at her waist. "You have no idea how much I want this off." She began to saw on the threads with the flimsy plastic knife. "This isn't going to work. I need a real knife."

~*~*~*~

"She wants a knife." Dana repeated. She could only hear every couple of words, when the wind blew just right. But she had a feeling asking for a knife wasn't good.

"Oh god," Deb cried. "He kidnapped her. She needs a knife to hold him off. Maybe he was obsessed with her, and he stole her from the church," the words began to come out quicker while her brain-spun scenarios. "Her poor groom. He's probably desperate to find her."

Julie rubbed wearily at her eyes, sometimes it was exhausting being Deb's friend.

"Deb, switch to decaf," Michele ordered. "She hasn't made a break for it. She hasn't yelled for help. I don't think she's here against her will."

"Still," Deb narrowed her eyes when the man at the other table moved so he was sitting just beside the bride. "What's in his hand?"

"It's a knife," Dana murmured.

~*~*~*~

"It's just a few stitches right on the top of my shoulder, here," Elizabeth touched the thin satin strap under the lace. "You know I can do it."

Jason ignored her and opened his pocketknife. The last thing he was going to do was trust her with a sharp knife. He raised his hands and hesitated when he realized to get to the threads he was going to have to stick his hands under the lace, and more than likely touch her skin.

Elizabeth missed his hesitation, she was busy pulling the last of the flower garland from her hair, and moving her hair to the other side of her neck. When she didn't feel anything, she tilted a glance in his direction. "Is there a problem?"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. I want this lace off. The buttons are just for show, you can unhook the collar and then pull it down slightly. My dress won't fall off," she turned her head again, and for the first time realized how close he was sitting to her.

It was real close.

Her eyes locked on his and the air seemed to vanish from her lungs. She opened her mouth to tell him that he didn't have to do this, but then couldn't seem to force the words out. She felt his hand on the back of her neck, by an all too brief sensation of heat against her skin, then the collar was opened.

He drew the lace slowly towards her front, exposing the soft fair skin of her shoulder. He was being careful not to touch the skin he was exposing and kept his eyes on her suddenly flushed face.

It was strange. It was the middle of the afternoon, on a bright and sunny, late fall Saturday. There were people all around them, the muted sounds of the highway, and kids playing in the distance came to her ears, but to her it seemed she was all alone with Jason. He wasn't undressing her, not really. She showed more skin in church, but watching him peel the lace away from her gown, felt strangely erotic to her. Her stomach clenched into knots, and her hand clutched her dress to stop her from doing something. What she wasn't sure, but she wasn't ready to find out.

All the sound vanished when she felt his finger slide under the strap of her dress lifting it up, so he could cut the lace free. His hand was rough. He had the hands of a workingman, and the texture was strange on her smooth skin. Her fiancé's hands were smooth. He was studying to be a surgeon, she knew they always would be. But she found she liked the rough, calloused, hands that were touching her skin now.

It shouldn't be so difficult to just cut some threads. And it wouldn't have been, if it weren't for this unwilling attraction he was beginning to have for the woman in the wedding dress. He hadn't been attracted to a woman in a long time, no, he corrected himself, he hadn't allowed himself to act on an attraction in a long time. But now, with her, touching the skin of her shoulder, he found that the attraction didn't want to be denied anymore.

With fingers that seemed to have a mind of their own, he eased the strap close to the edge of her shoulder and peered at her tattoo, trying to make out the design of it. At that moment he hated his mental block, for seeing patterns, but still he tried.

"It's a dragon," Elizabeth whispered huskily, when she felt the pad of his finger outline her tattoo. His eyes moved to her face again and she went on. "I've always loved them. Their wild, free, and can never be tamed."

Jason turned back to the dragon, he had seen pictures of the mythical creatures in the books that Carly had bought for Michael, now that he knew what he was looking at, what had been a blur, now formed an outline of a dragon. "It's interesting."

She shivered when she felt his breath on her neck. He shifted closer to reach for the strap on her other shoulder. Unusual, and unexpected nerves gripped her and she reacted. "Dragons are the most unique animal there ever was. Many experts believe, that dinosaurs were descendents of dragons. I know most of dragon history comes from the fantasy realm, but I have to believe some of the material has a basis in fact."

Jason cut the stitches on the other strap and pushed the lace free of her shoulder, before moving to the stitches at her waist.

"Uh, are you warm?" Elizabeth fanned her flaming face with her hand. "Dragon's were monogamous. They had only one mate for life. Even if their chosen mate died soon after, they still never procreated with another. For them there was only that one shot at love, there was only one perfect mate, for them."

"You really believe that?"

She met his eyes again. "I'd like to believe that. I'd like to believe that everyone has a perfect mate out there in the world, just waiting for them to find them."

Jason could feel himself being sucked into those expressive eyes of hers. The need to kiss her seemed like it came out of the blue, but he realized that it had been there inside of him, since the moment she had taken off her veil. He inched closer, and she moved closer as well. He could feel her breath on his face, and tilted his head.

They both turned suddenly when a woman seated at the table behind them suddenly fell from the bench onto the ground. Concerned Jason moved quickly and helped the elderly woman get to her feet. "Are you okay?"

Michele blushed. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, nothing injured but her pride," Julie sniped.

Michele glared at her before wiping it from her face and smiling at her rescuer. "Thank you for your help Mr…"

The other women at the table leaned closer waiting his reply.

"It's no problem," Jason said in dismissal and stepped back to his table, instead of sitting by Elizabeth he moved back to his original seat across from her.

The women at the table sighed heavily in disappointment, and Elizabeth turned to them and shot them a sympathetic look. "Don't feel too bad ladies, I don't even know his last name."

Before the women could do anything but gasp, Elizabeth turned back to face Jason.

Jason used the time caused by the distraction to get control of himself again. Attraction or not, the woman had a ring on her finger saying she was involved with another. She was still in her wedding gown. And she had repeatedly said that she loved her fiancé. So attraction or not, he wasn't going to be sucked in by her big eyes. He would ignore the feelings, or at least sidetrack them.

Elizabeth's grin slowly faded when she saw Jason's expression. It was like a mask had descended over his features. It was very unnerving to see. "Jason?"

"If you believe in that one mate for life stuff, then why did you run off from yours?" Jason asked sharply. "Or did he actually leave you?"

Elizabeth's eyes flashed in pain, and he could see from her stricken expression that he had hurt her, and immediately felt bad. He may be uncomfortable with his attraction for her, but he shouldn't have taken his frustration out on her.

"No," she corrected quietly. "I'm definitely the one that left him at the altar."

The coolness in her voice stung. And the sunshine that had enveloped her since he had seen her, faded along with the light in her eyes. He felt bad for bringing up her pain. "Elizabeth…"

She got to her feet cutting him off, and he quickly rose as well. "I'm going to go the restroom. If you'll excuse me."

"Elizabeth." He called after her, but she was moving quickly, skirting the tables, ignoring the stares she was receiving and quickly disappeared around the corner and out of his view. "Damn," he muttered and sat back down.

That had not gone well. He tensed suddenly, his instincts telling him he was being watched. He raised his head and saw the women at the next table looking at him, each were giving him varying stages of glares.

~*~*~*~

"Hey Gram."

__

"Elizabeth is everything okay?" Audrey asked quickly, she could hear the distress in Elizabeth's voice.

"Everything's great. What could be wrong?"

__

"Elizabeth?"

"I'm fine Gram. Hey guess what? That obnoxious lace is finally off my dress," she tugged the last of it from her dress.

__

"Thank god," Audrey murmured. "You do know that the lace,"

"Was lace my mom bought?" Elizabeth finished for her. "Yeah I knew that."

__

"Then why did you agree to adding it? I thought the only reason you did was because of the guilt trip she laid on you."

"No I knew," Elizabeth began to pull the few pins that were left in her hair free.

__

"Why did you go along with her then?"

"I don't know," she looked up when the door opened and an elderly woman walked inside. "I guess it seemed easier if I didn't rock the boat."

__

"I thought you loved to rock the boat. In fact you seemed to insist on it," distracted Audrey tapped a still sleeping Sarah on her shoulder. "Roll over Sarah you're snoring." The blonde complied and toppled off the weight bench. Audrey moved quickly to check on her, but the continuing snores reassured her that Sarah was okay.

"I do normally," oblivious to Audrey's distraction, Elizabeth carried on. "But things were going so well. Mom was thrilled when we announced our engagement, and she dived right into the wedding plans. It seemed like the only time my parents ever fully supported me was with this wedding," she blanched when she thought about how that sounded. "I mean they supported me in the past, but…"

__

"They don't know what to do with you, or about you, most of the time." Audrey knew that Claire and Jeff loved Elizabeth in their own way. But they would have loved her more, if she conformed more. If she had been another Sarah or Steven. In other words a Stepford Webber.

"Yeah," Elizabeth sighed loudly. "I bet all that approval probably left the same time I climbed out of the church window."

__

"Do you think that their approval was one of the reasons you didn't talk about your concerns about the wedding before today?" Audrey asked.

"I don't know. Why does life have to be so complicated Gram? I love him, I really do, so why did I run?"

__

Audrey sighed wishing she could offer her granddaughter more. "I don't know Elizabeth. Only you do."

"But I don't." Elizabeth cried.

__

"Maybe you do, but you can't admit it yet." 

"God I think I prefer Jason's one word answers to this," Elizabeth grumbled. "Although his zings are pretty strong."

__

"Did something happen with Jason?"

"Yes, no, he's a nice guy, even when I was being a brat, he still fed me, and says I can ride with him," she smiled weakly at the other woman who seemed to be taking a long time to wash her hands.

__

"And why were you being a brat? I thought you saved those moments to torture your parents with?"

"I don't know. He just bugs me at times. He's so cool and calm, like he can control everything. And well I like to ruffle that cool, when I can," she grinned. "You should have heard what the gas station attendant said to him. I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time."

__

Audrey heard the change in Elizabeth's voice the more she talked about Jason. She had a feeling that part of Elizabeth's earlier frustration had come from the man she was traveling with. Hearing the lightness in Elizabeth's voice now, roused her curiosity about Jason even more. "What did he say?"

"He thought Jason was my," she trailed off when her eye fell on the woman who was now drying her hands and listening to every word of the conversation. "I'll tell you later. I better go now, I don't want to be left behind."

__

"Keep in touch, and try to laugh more darling."

"Bye Gram." Elizabeth hung up the phone and moved to the sink, dragging her fingers through her disheveled hair trying to untangle the worst of the curls. "Hear anything interesting?"

Dana jolted. "Not really," she huffed out a breath. "Sorry."

"No problem," Elizabeth tied her hair back in a ponytail, using her lace sleeve as the holder.

"What are you going to do with the rest of the lace?"

"Leave it, it's kind of like my trail of breadcrumbs." Elizabeth answered. She frowned at her reflection in the mirror. Her dress was a lot simpler without the lace, and to her eye a lot prettier as well. "I designed this as an LA Confidential look, like Kim Basinger had in the movie. I love that style, even though I'm several inches to short, and don't have the long waist needed to pull it off. So this dress had strikes against it to begin with, but that lace made it look awful."

"Why would you want to get married in a dress you hated?"

"Apparently I didn't want to." Elizabeth answered quietly. "Apparently I didn't."

~*~*~*~

"Elizabeth I'm sorry if I upset you earlier." Spying her Jason got to his feet.

"You didn't you just made a comment that I certainly deserved." Elizabeth had realized something while hiding in the bathroom, now she just had to follow through with it. "Once we get to the next town, I'll get off and leave you alone."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Jason asked softly.

"I think it's for the best don't you?" Without waiting for a reply she turned and headed for the bike.


	4. What Would Happen

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Disclaimer: the standard blather. Don't sue me.

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Feedback: To quote the song lyric. Is there anybody out there? Humor me let me know what you think

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Author's Joy: Did you hear Jason is coming back to the show? Hot damn.

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~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~**~

Bride on the Loose

Part IV

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~Afternoon~

The change in the woman on the bike behind him was striking. Where before Elizabeth had been relaxed and at times even laughing, now she was very quiet. She still moved with the bike, and still seemed to trust him, but she had drawn back. It was hard for him to realize that he hated the fact that she had withdrawn.

What he hated more though was the fact that he had brought on the change in her. He had hurt her at lunch, and she had shut down. He hadn't even known Elizabeth for a day and he already hated to see her hurt. He stifled a groan and increased the speed of the bike, he was getting in over his head. Maybe it was for the best that she would soon be leaving.

That thought had no more than crossed his mind, when the bike began to sputter, and pulled hard to the left. He quickly steadied the bike, feeling Elizabeth tighten her grip on his waist. 

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason didn't waste time trying to reply, the bike was shimmering hard, and it was taking most of his strength to keep it upright. He tried the brakes, but had none, they were going to have to ride it out. The only problem was, not only did they have no brakes, he also had little control of the steering. He had to muscle the bike, fighting the wind and their weight in an effort to bring the bike to a halt. He was aware of the speedometer gradually dropping, but to him it was taking a very long time, and he forced the bike towards the side of the road. Without being told, Elizabeth moved with him, her slight weight in tune with his, and for that he was grateful.

The bike finally came to a halt on the side of the road and for a second he just closed his eyes in relief. He'd had several worse incidents on the bike, he had even wrecked a couple of times, but this was one of the few times he had been truly afraid. Elizabeth leaned heavily against his back, and he knew why he had been so worried. All of those other times he had been alone. It was a whole different feeling when there was someone who would crash with him.

"Is it okay to get off?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

"Yes," he straightened and held out an arm for her to use as leverage while she got off. Once she was on the ground, he got off as well.

"Well that was thrilling," Elizabeth commented lightly, pulling off her helmet. Jason's expression was calm, but she had a feeling it always was, yet she could see the pulse jumping in his throat, so she knew it had been a hairy few minutes.

Jason nodded and his eyes took in her big smile, pale face, and saw the leftover fear in her bright eyes. He shrugged out of his jacket and squatted beside the bike hoping to find out what had happened to almost make them crash.

"Can you fix it?" Elizabeth asked from over his right shoulder.

Jason slanted her a glare. "Maybe, if I could see what I was doing."

"What? Oh," Elizabeth backed off when she realized she was blocking the late afternoon sun. Jason immediately focused on the bike again, apparently she was dismissed. She rolled her eyes and walked away. He really was a grump at times.

~*~*~*~

"Damn'it," Jason bit off the rest of the curses and brought his knuckle up to his mouth. Disgusted he threw the screwdriver back in the small toolkit he had brought with him.

"What happened?"

"This stupid hose," he grumbled trying to unfasten it again.

"Is it safe to enter the work zone?" Elizabeth asked only halfway teasing as she moved closer.

He grunted and reached for another tool, but couldn't reach it, not wanting to let go of the hose he turned to her. "Can you hand me the ratchet?" 

Intrigued Elizabeth crouched beside him. "What is a ratchet?"

"That one there," he pointed to the tool just out of his reach.

She put it in his hand and sat on the ground next to him, watching him work with the curiosity that her family believed she was cursed with. He was definitely talented with his hands. She had thought he would be, but now she had confirmation. She couldn't help but wonder what else he could do well with his hands.

She flushed and was grateful he wasn't watching her at that particular moment. Thoughts like that, were exactly the reason why she was going to leave him at the next town. Her life was confusing enough without adding this unwilling attraction to a man she hadn't even known for a day, to it.

Distance was definitely called for. Besides it wasn't like he had asked her to stay with him, no he hadn't even mentioned it.

Damned if he couldn't smell her perfume. "Christ." He yelped and jerked his hand away from the bike.

"What?" 

"Nothing," he got to his feet and tried to move away.

Elizabeth stood as well and grabbed his hand when she saw blood coming from a cut on it. "Jason you're hurt."

"It's nothing," he tried to pull his hand free, but her grip was surprisingly firm.

"Blood isn't nothing," Elizabeth countered. "Do you have a rag or something we can use to stop the blood?"

"Elizabeth it's just a shallow cut, it will bleed for a few minutes and then it will stop," he pulled his hand free, but she caught it again. "You're getting blood on your dress."

"And your point is?" Elizabeth asked. Shallow cut or not, she didn't like the sight of him bleeding, an idea came to mind and she went with it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jason asked when her free hand started to feel his butt.

"I'm looking for the…aha." She pulled his knife free, and flicked it open. Letting go of his hand she bent over. "Keep pressure on the cut," she ordered before taking the knife and cutting some material from her wedding dress.

He shook his head in surprise and watched her wrap the hastily made bandage around his hand. "You need to wrap it tighter that that," he told her. "There has to be pressure on it."

"Like this?" She rewrapped it tighter and looked up at him. His face was inches from her own. Flustered she nibbled at her bottom lip, and focused on his hand again, the bandage was rapidly becoming stained. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"It's fine," he answered roughly, causing her to look up at him again. The concern he saw in those expressive eyes of hers was drawing him in. "You have dirt on your face," he murmured, brushing at the streak with his thumb. Her skin was as soft as it looked, and with one caress he knew he was hooked.

Elizabeth held her breath as he traced her cheek, he drew his thumb down to her chin and applied pressure on it, and she let go of her lip. She held his injured hand in one hand and her other found its way to his hip. 

He changed his grip, until he was cupping the back of her head and drew her closer to him. She moved willingly enough, drawing herself up on her toes, and tilted her head slightly, feeling his breath on her lips. They jumped apart when the sound of a car horn blasted the quiet around them. 

Jason turned and looked at a Ford F150 extended cab that was pulling to a halt behind the bike. A part of him was angry at the interruption, the other part relieved. Elizabeth was appealing to him on a level no other woman had before, and he didn't like that.

"Need a hand?"

Jason moved over towards the driver of the truck, recognizing her as one of the women from the Tasty Freaks. "Actually we do."

Julie put the truck in park. "Do you know what the problem is?"

"Yeah we lost a couple of hoses. I can't fix the bike here, I need some parts."

"We can give you a lift to the next town," Dana offered from the passenger seat.

"I know were not too far out of town. Do you mind?" Jason asked.

"Oh it won't do you any good to go back to that hole in the wall town. It doesn't have a garage. The closest town that'll have the parts you need is Greeley, that's about 65 miles from here." Julie reached to open the door, but he beat her to it and opened it for her. "There's room in the back. Why don't you load your bike and your lady in, and we'll take off."

Elizabeth jolted at being called his lady. "Oh were not…"

Deb opened the back door and slid from the truck. "My boy, are you hurt?" She gestured to his hand.

"No I'm fine," he backed away when she reached for his hand.

"I see she made you a bandage." Deb's heart swelled when she saw the makeshift bandage. A bandage out of a petticoat was so romantic. So a wedding dress wasn't a petticoat, but it was still sweet, and she loved sweet things like that. It appealed to her romantic heart.

"I hate to take you out of your way." Jason kept his hand at his side.

"Nonsense we're heading to Greeley anyway," Michele called out, finally making her way out of the truck.

Jason eyed the four older women a little warily the turned to look at Elizabeth who had retreated to the other side of the bike. Even though she was several feet away he could see the wariness in her eyes. He raised an eyebrow in question and she shrugged. He sighed and turned back to the woman with the blue hair. "Thanks we'll take you up on the ride."

"Okay I have some cords in the back." Julie turned and led the way to the back of the truck, while the other ladies closed rank on Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had the sensation of being a rabbit surrounded by a wolf pack. When she saw the avid curiosity in the other women's eyes she almost wished it were a wolf pack. 

"It looks like you've had a rough day," Deb commented soothingly. "Poor dear."

A deer surrounded by foxes would work too, Elizabeth shook the analogy away. 

"Good job Deb, make the girl feel comfortable by pointing out how bad she looks," Michele snapped at her friend.

Flustered Elizabeth automatically tightened the lace sleeve that was holding back her hair.

"Quiet both of you," Dana ordered. "Is any of that blood yours?"

Elizabeth glanced down and belatedly noticed the splatters on her dress. She knew she should feel bad over the piece-by-piece destruction of her wedding dress. But in truth the less it looked like a wedding dress the more she liked it. "No it's Jason's, he cut his hand trying to fix the bike," she replied finally.

"Well you did a good job taking care of your man," Deb chirped.

"He's not my…" Elizabeth tried to correct her assumption.

"That was so sweet, but you do look like a sweet girl." Deb ran her hand over the leather of the bike seat. "It must be so thrilling having something so powerful between your legs."

"Excuse me," Jason said from behind her the same time Dana and Michele burst into laughter. "What?" he asked Elizabeth.

"Maybe she's had something even more powerful between her legs," Michele muttered.

Elizabeth's face flamed and she glared at the older women.

"What did I say?" Deb asked in puzzlement.

That was too much for Elizabeth and she joined in the laughter as well.

Jason looked around at the women around him then moved to the bike. The sooner he got back on the road, alone, the better. These women were just nuts. He could have sworn the driver of the truck had groped him a few minutes ago, when he was getting the cord out of the truck bed.

"Let me give you a hand." Elizabeth hurried to his side, brushing the tears, her laughter had caused away.

~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry you have to ride back here. But there really is no room in front," Julie apologized for the fifth time.

"Are you sure there isn't room for Elizabeth?" Jason asked glancing towards the cab. "I thought there was…" he trailed off when he noticed that the space he had seen earlier, that she would have fit in, was now piled high with bags.

"Nope sorry."

"This will be fine," Elizabeth said quickly. The bike was secured behind the passenger seats, so that left the space between the bike and the edge of the truck by the driver's door. There was plenty of room for the both of them.

"Just a minute," Jason jumped up in the truck and pulled his bedroll from the back of the bike. Shifting so he shielded the view of what he was doing from the women he moved quickly and pulled his gun from the bedroll tucking it into one of the saddlebags. Once that was hidden he opened up the blanket so they wouldn't have to sit on the truck floor.

"He really is a gentlemen isn't he?" Deb whispered loudly.

Elizabeth reached up to climb in the truck, but before she could find her grip, Jason had jumped back out of the truck and picked her up. He set her on the back of the truck as if she weighed nothing more than a feather, and then scrambled back in the truck.

"Handy to have around isn't he?" Dana murmured to Michele, whose eyes were still locked on Jason's tan arms. "Come on Michele, your beginning to drool," she ordered pulling on her friend's arm to get her to move.

"You too Deb," Julie ordered. "Greeley is only about 65 miles away."

Jason nodded. "Why don't you sit next to the bike? It won't be as windy there."

"Alright," Elizabeth sat down and waited for him to join her. Now that she was seated she realized that what had looked like a lot of room when she was standing, in reality wasn't. She couldn't help but hold her breath as he sat next to her. His thigh came into contact, with hers and she could have sworn it burned her. His jacket was still off, so his tanned arm brushed against her arm as he settled back against the cab of the truck.

The unwilling attraction she felt for Jason was the reason she wanted to get away from him. Now here she was pressed against him for the foreseeable future and that wasn't good. It was different when she was pressed against his back on the bike, there he had to concentrate on driving. But now his attention wasn't distracted. God help her if he picked up on her unwise attraction. Not for the first time she wondered what exactly had gotten into her today. Please drive fast Julie. Please.

The truck took off with a lurch and sent her heavily into Jason. "Sorry," she muttered and shifted as far away from his as the bike would allow.

"It's okay."

After that initial lurch the truck slowed. In fact it slowed so much she could barely feel any air moving. It seemed Julie suffered from the same affliction a lot of elderly drivers were effected with. They couldn't do the speed limit, much less go over it.

Next to her Jason shifted, bringing his hip more fully into contact with her own. God help her 65 miles? She wasn't going to last 65 feet.

~*~*~*~

"Julie is there any reason you are driving slower than I roller blade?" Dana asked caustically.

"And why aren't you going to stop at Lester's Auto? That's only five minutes away on the access road, why are you driving them to Greeley?" Michele asked.

"Am I the only one who sees what she is doing?" Deb asked loudly. "She's playing cupid."

"What?" Dana looked from her normally clueless friend to Julie's catlike grin.

"Elizabeth said she was going to leave Jason in the next town. If she has him fix his bike at Lester's they'll be at the next town really quick, and they won't have a chance to talk. But stuck in the back of a truck that is driving slow enough that chickens will pass it, will give them lots of time to talk." Deb explained.

"What makes you think they want to talk though?" Michele asked, peering out the back window at the couple, who, as far as she could tell had yet to say anything.

"Michele you saw them at the Freak, when they got talking it was like they were the only people there. They would have kissed right then and there, if some foolish, old woman hadn't fallen on her ass breaking them up," Deb said with a glare.

"Watch it Deb. Your birth certificate beats mine by several years," Michele hissed.

"Children please," Julie interrupted the cat fighting before it could really start. "We all saw the chemistry and from what Dana overheard in the bathroom, that chemistry may be one reason why Elizabeth is trying to get away from Jason."

"That's right," Dana nodded. "When she started talking about him her whole expression changed."

"Whose wouldn't?"

"Michele pay attention," Julie ordered. They just need some time. They were almost kissing when we found them earlier."

Michele leaned over the seat. "And whose fault was it that they didn't?" She asked dryly. "I think it was the person who honked the horn. Jesus Julie," she cried and flew back in the seat when Julie swerved the truck suddenly. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Making up for the interruption. Hold on," Julie issued the warning and swerved again.

~*~*~*~

"Ouch." Elizabeth cried out loudly when her arm connected with the bike as the truck began to pitch. 

"Are you okay?" Jason asked in concern.

"What's going on?" The truck pitched again and Jason caught her by the shoulders before she could hit the bike. "Where the hell did she get her license?"

"I don't know," he turned to look through the back window but none of the women were looking in their direction. The truck swerved again and he registered Elizabeth's gasp when she hit the bike again.

~*~*~*~

"Julie are you trying to give them matching injuries?" Dana demanded. "Every time you do that she hits the bike."

"Come on Jason, be a gentleman," Julie urged, keeping her eye on the rearview.

"Julie I think you need to stop that. You know I get carsick." Deb cried out when the truck jerked again.

"Car sickness or true love. What's it going to be Miss Lonely Hearts?" Michele demanded.

Deb leveled a glare at her. "Your stuffing is slipping there, Dearie."

"What?" Michele looked down and cursed slightly, before pulling at her bra, trying to hide the Kleenexes within that helped give her, her shape.

"Finally," Julie crowed.

~*~*~*~

"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked resisting his pull slightly. Instinct was warning her that she didn't want to do this.

Jason shifted his hold on her so his arm was around her shoulders and she was resting against his chest. "This way you won't hit the bike when she swerves. It also may be more comfortable." He felt her tense. "Just relax Elizabeth, I won't let you go."

Relax he says. 

She rolled her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, the truck swerved again, but thanks to his hold, she stayed against his chest. His very strong, and warm chest. She was so in over her head, unwillingly she rested her head on that chest, knowing when she did so, that it was a mistake, didn't stop her from doing it.

~*~*~*~

Deb turned back around with a huge smile on her face. "You are so good."

"I know." Julie replied.

"I knew how good you could be," Dana cried. "I also knew how sneaky you could be. After all you did win the Fireman Steve derby."

Julie winced and braced for the explosion.

"She what?" Michele demanded.

"Oops," Deb groaned, that was supposed to be a secret. Fireman Steve was single, mid 50's, wealthy, and handsome. He had sent many a tongue a wagging when he had moved into town for a month this summer. Browne's Department Store had never registered as many girdle sales as it had the week he had arrived. The contest to win his heart, had been vicious. The most vicious competitor had been Michele.

"You traitorous, sneaky, little, bit…"

~*~*~*~

"Do you hear screaming?" Elizabeth asked right before the truck banked violently.

Jason swallowed a curse when his injured hand took the impact of her weight against the bike. It was the hardest hit yet. "What the hell is going on up there?"

"I don't know," she grinned widely. "She reminds me of my Gram. The only reason she still has her license is because she has something on the Police Commissioner and the head of the DMV. Otherwise she would have been busing it years ago."

"I guess it pays to have connections," he murmured when the truck evened out again.

She settled more comfortably against him. Her nerves had eased the longer the ride had gone on. It had been a little strange at first, being in someone else's arms. But it was a good kind of strange.

Jason tilted his head and took another whiff of her hair. He had been steeping himself in the soft vanilla scent of her hair since the ride had begun. Like the rest of Elizabeth it only took a second for him to become addicted. Just like he had become addicted to the touch of her skin when he felt it the first time.

He realized then that he was in fact touching that skin. His hand was rubbing circle patterns on the soft skin of her bare shoulder. He vaguely wondered how long he had been doing it. She hadn't tensed up or pulled away, so either she wasn't aware of it, or she didn't mind. Elizabeth sighed and he felt her breath on his chest.

His hand movements on her arm grew bigger and he rested his head on hers and shut his eyes. He hadn't held a woman in a very long time. The last one he had even come close too holding was Carly, and they had never sat like this. The first night he had kissed Robin, they had sat similar to this, but that felt like a lifetime ago. Memories of Robin and Carly seemed to be fading as time went on. He wasn't real comfortable in realizing that he seemed to be making memories of the woman beside him.

That should be enough to make him pull away from her. 

His hand worked its way up from her shoulder to her hair, and tugged slightly at the back of her neck, until she raised her head and met his eyes. He searched the blue eyes, trying to see what it was in them that drew him so to her. But all he saw was their clear depths meeting his unwaveringly. He brought his other hand over to touch her face, drawing his thumb down her cheek, and she leaned into his touch.

Jason leaned closer slowly, his grip on her was light enough that she could draw away if she wanted to. But she didn't move away, instead she leaned closer. He tilted her head, and brushed his lips against hers so lightly it felt like the caress of the wind.

"Woo Hoo."

The cry came from the truck next to them and shattered the moment. Elizabeth pulled back and focused on the guys in the truck that was at the red light next to them. The passenger, the guy who had yelled, raised a beer in toast to them.

Jason smothered a curse when Elizabeth brushed his hand off of her shoulder, and moved closer to the bike.

~*~*~*~

"That little sonofabitch," Michele cried. "It's that demon seed Carl Phelps. God that boy is so whacked."

"With his mother are you surprised?" Dana asked.

Julie discreetly flipped the idiot the bird as the truck roared past them. She saw no point in driving five miles an hour anymore, and put on some speed. She had slowed to that speed, when she had been alerted to the kiss that Jason had been setting up. She could see the obvious distance that Elizabeth had put between them in the rearview mirror.

Deb was doing her best to rise above the need to chime in on the Phelps bashing. After all she was a lady, so it wouldn't do to stoop to the level of name-calling.

Dana elbowed Julie and jerked her head in Deb's direction. Julie looked in the rearview mirror at her friend, and fought a grin. Lady Deb was about to blow. She pulled alongside the truck, to give Deb an outlet.

"Carl Phelps." Deb called out in her frostiest schoolteacher voice.

Carl flinched and dropped the open beer can so it splattered all over his ever-widening beer gut. "Ma'am?"

"That wouldn't be a beer now would it Carl?" Deb asked, lowering her glasses far enough to give him her imperious look. "What would your parole officer say boy?"

"Miss Vee," Carl whined.

"You best get home boy, before I speak to your mother," Deb narrowed her eyes. "Of course when I do speak with her, I'll have to mention what happened last time you were in my class." She watched Carl pale even more. "You can still be charged for peeping."

Carl blanched. "No ma'am, please don't talk to mama." Mama had a switch she loved to use, or sometimes she made him paint her toenails. Mama was 375 lbs, at least she had been before the last scale shattered. Mama scared the hell out of him.

"You get home before sundown and maybe I'll stop her," Michele leaned past Deb to address the idiot. "But if I see you later, I'll talk to mama myself."

"Go," Carl yelled at the driver, and the truck tore through the red light, causing horns to blare and a VW bug to drive over the curb to avoid hitting the truck.

"He is the poster child for why inbreeding never works." Dana commented with a shake of her head.

Julie reluctantly pulled into the drive of Hanson's Auto Body. She couldn't stall anymore. 

All four women in the cab groaned in defeat, when Jason barely waited for the truck to stop before he was up and unhooking the bike. 

Elizabeth quickly stood as well and moved to the truck gate. She needed to get away from Jason. The last thing she wanted was for him to touch her again. God knows what would happen if he did.

"I'll give you a hand." Jason called when she began to climb over the tailgate.

"No, that's okay, I got it," she dropped to the ground and unhitched the tailgate, moving out of the way when he began to push the bike off the truck.

Elizabeth turned to face the ladies. "Thanks so much for the ride. It was really nice of you."

"It was no problem," Dana replied.

"It looks like this place is closed," Julie called out seeing the darkened windows.

Jason rubbed at the knot of tension in his neck. It seemed like nothing was going right today. He wanted nothing more than to fix his bike and get the hell out of town. To get the hell away from the distracting woman in the wedding dress, but it seemed he was doomed. It was easier for him to think clearer as long as he wasn't touching her. And judging from the way she kept edging away from him, he wouldn't be touching her again. For once he lied to himself and said he wasn't disappointed with that realization.

"I know the owner. I can try to reach him at home." Deb offered. "With tomorrow being Sunday the shop won't be open in the morning."

Michele elbowed her hard at that suggestion. What the hell was she doing?

"Thanks. I'll take you up on that, excuse me." He began pushing the bike towards the shop.

"Why don't you come along with us?" Julie asked. "There isn't much to do in Greeley but we can show you around. In fact you and Jason can come with us tonight, there's a special event we're going too. I think you might like it."

Elizabeth's eyes flew to Jason who was making his way back to them. The setting sun was reflecting blonde highlights in his hair. It also threw his face into shadow, showing off the strong angles in his face. Had she really said she only felt a slight attraction to Jason? What was she on when she thought that?

Flustered she brought her hand up to brush at her hair. The diamond on her finger caught the light and sent it into her eyes. Startled she focused on it. The ring she had loved, and worn for over a year and a half on her finger stared back at her. It was a ring given to her in love, from a man she had loved since she was 15 years old.

Guilt hit her, and it hit her hard. 

"No," she cried out loudly, startling the others. "I mean, I really need to go. I need…" she stopped herself and nervously wet her lips. "Thanks again for the ride ladies," she focused on Jason. "Thank you Jason." Her voice was husky, betraying her nerves and unease.

"Elizabeth," Jason reached out a hand to her.

"Bye," she whispered, and before she could give in and take his hand she turned and hurried away.

Jason watched the woman in white run away from him until she turned the corner and disappeared from view. With a mixture of relief and regret he focused on the women that were still there. "Thank you for your help."

All they could do was nod. Silence was such a strange occurrence for one of them, that for it to hit all of them at the same time, was truly shocking.

He slung the saddlebags over his shoulder and began heading in the opposite direction Elizabeth had disappeared in. He had seen a sign for a hotel in that direction and that was where he was going.

"Well that just sucked." Michele cried in disgust.

"It's not over yet," Dana cautioned her friend. "This was only a minor setback. They're still in town, we still have time."

"Yeah their still in town. She's at one end, he's at the other." Julie reminded her.

"So we'll just have to be creative," Deb watched Jason's silhouette disappear. "I'm full of ideas."

~*~*~*~

__

"Yes I'll accept the charges." Audrey informed the operator.

"Hormones effect everyone right?" Elizabeth didn't bother to say hello.

__

"Right."

"And I've been ignoring my hormones for years now, it was only natural that sooner or later they would build up inside of me, until I couldn't deny them anymore," she backtracked. "Well I haven't been ignoring them. I've been focusing them on my fiancé. But that's what your supposed to do when you're in a relationship right?"

__

"Right," Audrey settled into the couch. She had a feeling this was going to be an interesting conversation.

"See you agree," Elizabeth grasped onto that. "So that is all I'm feeling here. Jason is a good-looking man. It's only natural that I would be attracted to him. So this is normal behavior."

__

"Have you acted on the attraction?"

"No of course not," she flashed briefly on the three near kisses. "I mean…no we haven't even kissed, not really. I don't cheat Gram you know that. How many Greeks did you throw at me this summer? Did I even glance at them?"

__

"No, you wouldn't allow yourself too. I often wondered if you were afraid to look." Audrey replied honestly.

"Why would I be afraid? I love my fiancé."

__

"But he's still only your fiancé and for the first time since you were 15, you are talking to me about another man."

"That's because he's confusing me. He's just so raw and wild. I haven't met anyone like Jason before," desperate for a reason to explain away her attraction she kept on. "Besides with all the stress of these past weeks and today, I'm just not thinking straight."

__

Audrey decided it was time to press her granddaughter. "Maybe you're thinking straight for the first time in weeks."

"What you want me to cheat? You want me to be like Sienna?"

__

Audrey made a face at the name of her granddaughter in law. "You are nothing like Sienna. She married your brother as the pristine virgin wanting all the perks that came with being married to a young, successful doctor. She then promptly screwed her way through the church elders. You will never be anything like Sienna."

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at that. Her Gram had never pulled any punches and for that she was grateful. "I know that, but I'm not used to being attracted to someone else. So intently, so quickly, I don't even know his last name," oblivious to the looks she was getting from the people walking by her, she leaned heavily against the payphone. "Its just lust, hormones, right Gram? And lust never lasts."

__

"I knew a man once, I met him when I was still a flight attendant, he was a pilot. A more arrogant man I have never met. The one rule we stews lived by was to never date a pilot. They had women in every stop, and a wife at home," Audrey moved to the window and looked out at the sun that was setting on the lake. "I couldn't be around him, without wanting to either strangle him or kiss him. It depended on the moment as to which urge was stronger."

Elizabeth settled in too listen to the story. She hadn't heard this one before. As usual, the voice of her grandmother was calming her down.

__

"He pursued me something fierce, and after a particularly long layover in Paris, I gave in," her mouth quirked in memory.

"No details please Gram," Elizabeth interrupted quickly.

__

"You weren't going to get any little girl," Audrey replied easily. "Anyway I finally gave into the temptation, gave into the fire."

"It didn't last though did it?" Elizabeth asked softly.

__

"No it didn't," she agreed. "It ended the night Kurt died in the plane crash. But until that night we had four glorious, fiery years. And I've never regretted taking that chance on hormones. I never regretted reaching for the stars."

Elizabeth sighed and fingered her necklace. For the first time in her life, a conversation with her Grandmother, confused her instead of helped her. She turned back in the direction she had come, when she heard the sound of a motorcycle. She heard the powerful engine growl, and rev until it was put into gear. She held her breath until she realized that the bike wasn't coming towards her, it was moving away from her. Her confusion didn't seem to matter anymore. 

It appeared Jason was gone.


	5. Just One Kiss

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Disclaimer: the standard blather. Don't sue me.

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Feedback: To quote the song lyric. Is there anybody out there? Humor me let me know what you think

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Author's Joy: Did you hear Jason is coming back to the show? Hot damn.

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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bride on the Loose

Part V

****

~Evening~

Jason rubbed at the steam that had fogged up the bathroom mirror, during his shower and frowned at his reflection. There were still water beads on his chest but he ignored them, focusing instead on his face. He brought his hand up to rub at his face, to check if he needed a shave and his eye fell on the thin fresh cut on his hand that was visible there. He flexed his hand to see if it would begin to bleed again. But like he had told Elizabeth earlier it was only a shallow cut. It had bled for a little while and then stopped. With a sigh he rubbed at his chin, he wasn't supposed to be thinking about Elizabeth.

But he was.

His eye moved to the makeshift bandage of satin that was in the trash next to the sink. She hadn't needed to cut him a bandage out of her dress. In fact he wished she hadn't. Now she was wandering around town with no money and a ripped dress. He shook his head, trying to clear her out of his head. She wasn't his problem, not anymore. She was the one who decided to leave, when they hit town. Hell she had barely even waited to say goodbye to him. She had left and that was for the best for both of them. So that was that he wasn't going to think about her anymore.

Feeling the light stubble rubbing against his hand made him decide to shave after all. It had been several days since he had shaved, he had always preferred to be clean-shaven so it was no big deal. His decision had absolutely nothing to do with the petite brunette with the dancing blue eyes.

"Christ," he shook his head in disgust. He wisely let the need to curse pass before reaching for his razor.

~*~*~*~

When he walked out of the bathroom later he felt much more in control. He set the aftershave on the dresser as the towel hit the floor and reached for his boxers. He was going to get some food, maybe find a bar and shoot some pool, get his bike fixed and get back on the road, alone. Elizabeth was gone and he doubted he would see her again. A little nagging voice reminded him of the fact that Elizabeth was alone as well.

__

"Excuse me for not having money on me," she pulled at the sides of her skirt. "This dress didn't come with pockets."

Alone and broke, he realized sourly. Pulling on a clean pair of jeans, he didn't bother to snap the fly before moving to the window and checking the street. They were in full sunset by now and the reddish gold light of the sun cast its shine everywhere. Judging from the lack of movement on the street Greeley was a ghost town. He scanned the street again looking in vain for a flash of white. 

The clerk had told him that this hotel was the only one in Greeley. There wasn't a bus or train station in town either, so sooner or later Elizabeth would have to show up here. Or maybe she had called whomever she had been calling during their ride, and asked them to come and pick her up. He hadn't mentioned it, but he knew she had been keeping in touch with someone, maybe even her _fiancé_. He grimaced with that thought and moved back to the bed to search his bag for a clean shirt.

The bottom line was that Elizabeth wasn't stupid no matter how flighty she appeared to be. She was smart enough to keep in touch with someone, after all she was traveling with a stranger. And if it were her _fiancé_ then the guy would show up if she called him. No matter how hurt the guy may have been at her leaving, he couldn't see anyone turning his back on Elizabeth if she needed help.

He hadn't been able too. He'd already made arrangements with the clerk, that if a petite woman in a ripped up wedding dress showed up looking for a room, she was supposed to get one. He had no doubt that Elizabeth was more than capable of either charming or snowing the elderly man behind the counter into giving her a room on her own. But on the off chance he didn't buy her story, Jason had made arrangements to pay for her room. He smirked at the thought of how pissed she would be at him, if she found that out. 

Finally locating a clean shirt he pulled it on and tucked it in his jeans. But that was going to be the end of his involvement with the bride. She got under his skin, and he didn't like that. Distance was definitely called for, and that was just what he was going to get. He may not have a lot of experience with women, but the experience he did have, made him realize that they were a lot of trouble. One of the reasons he had left Port Charles was to get away from the destruction that women caused him.

He knew from the first moment he saw her that Elizabeth was going to be nothing but trouble. He didn't want any more trouble in his life. He just wanted to be left alone. The pain that had chased him from Port Charles was gradually fading, but the memory of it wasn't. Elizabeth would be fine, he determined. He'd get his bike fixed in the morning and be gone by Sunday afternoon. Soon this strange day would be only a dim memory. He glanced out the window, and searched the street again. She'd show up here sooner or later, after all there was no place else she could go.

What if she decided to hitch?

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he shook his head, denying the possibility. She wouldn't be that stupid. She knew better than to get in a car with some stranger.

But she hitched with you.

The nagging voice was back in his head, and it was louder than before. She had been safe with him, a part of her must have known that. She had to know he wouldn't hurt her, or she would have never got on the bike. She wouldn't have gone with just anyone.

Unless she was desperate.

He sat on the bed and began to pull on his socks, and boots. He could easily remember the way her eyes had flashed when she had seen the Porsche. He could vividly recall the way they had shimmered with hurt, when he had questioned her at lunch. She wasn't desperate, but she was in pain about walking out of her own wedding.

It wouldn't hurt to see if she had made it to the hotel yet. He wouldn't have to talk to her, he would just check with the clerk. It was definitely for the best if he didn't talk to her again. On that he was positive. Jason pulled the wallet out of his old jeans and tossed them back on the bed. A flash of glitter appeared on the garish orange bedspread, frowning he reached down to see what was catching the light.

He almost groaned when he recognized her bracelet. It appeared he was going to have to speak to Elizabeth again. With a sigh, of what he told himself was disappointment and not relief he headed for the door. 

It was time to find the wayward bride.

~*~*~*~

The park was nearly deserted, only a few stubborn joggers were still out on the path. A brisk wind had come up in the last 15 minutes and with it came the first whiff of fall. The leaves were torn from the sleeping trees and raced along the ground. The crunching sound they made as he walked was loud in the quiet park. He looked around when he heard a sizzling sound, then looked up at a streetlamp as it suddenly came to light beside him. 

Jason turned away from the light and blinked at the spots in front of his eyes. When he could focus again he spotted something that made the knot of tension in his gut ease. This time there was no denying the relief he felt as he left the bike path and cut across the grass, towards the lake. A woman in white was sitting on a bench staring out at the water, her head was resting on her raised knees, her gaze was focused on a family of ducks that were making their way out of the water.

She never even glanced at him, when he took the seat next to her. For a minute he was quiet, as well. It had been a frustrating 45 minutes. He had thought the town was small, but realized when you were looking for one person, that the town could be large. He was seriously beginning to wonder if she had hitchhiked when he came across the park. He wanted to wring her neck for making him worry about her, than he wanted to wring his own, because he had been so worried about her.

"I thought you left town."

Content with the silence he glanced at her in surprise when she broke it. "The bike is still broken."

"Oh," she kept her eyes on the water. "I heard a bike, not long after I left you, I thought it was yours."

"No. Deb," he paused trying to get the name right. "I think it was her, said she would talk to the owner about opening briefly in the morning, so I could get some hoses."

"That was nice of her. They were all nice, if not a little strange."

"I know."

They slid back into silence again, and for once silence was something that he didn't want. "I wanted to apologize for what I said at lunch. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I did. I'm sorry Elizabeth."

She tilted her head to look at him. "I hurt me. Not you."

"Still…"

"I'm good at hurting people. Myself most of all, but today I spread it out, and hurt my best friend," she turned away from his gaze. "I didn't leave him at the altar. I never made out of the bride's room. My sister knocked and said it was almost time, and I went to the door to open it. My dad was waiting just down the hall, my fiancé was waiting at the end of the altar. All I had to do was open the door."

"What happened?"

"I couldn't do it. I felt terrified the minute I touched the door handle, I almost thought I was going to pass out. At first I thought I was just going to the window to get some air, but when I opened it, I knew I wasn't stopping. It didn't matter that I had been planning this wedding since I was 16 years old. It didn't matter that I have loved my fiancé since I was 15, it didn't matter that all of our family and friends were there in the church to support us. It didn't even matter that the window was on the second floor, and there was nothing but bushes to break my fall. All that mattered was that I wanted to be gone," she smiled bitterly in the dim light. "So you're wrong he didn't leave me, I'm the one who ran. I'm the coward."

"I don't think you're a coward. A little confused maybe, but not a coward."

"How can you say that?" She demanded, turning to look at him. "I left him at the church, if he was at the altar, I left standing there in front of the whole town. God I must have humiliated him so much. You can't know what that did to him."

"I have an idea," Jason admitted and to his amazement that caused Elizabeth to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"You're going to try to tell me that someone left you standing at the altar?" She shook her head and laughed some more. "Jason I doubt you're that good of a salesman," she turned away and muttered. "Who in the hell would leave him at the altar?"

"I didn't say I was left at the altar," he corrected her.

"Then what did you mean?"

Jason was quiet, unsure if he wanted to explain, but since he had brought it up, he felt he had to continue. "My best friend was getting married. He decided on the morning of the wedding that he couldn't go through with it. I was his best man, so he sent me to tell her."

Elizabeth's heart went out to the bride. "That must have been horrible for her, but at least she wasn't left at the church by him."

"Actually she was," he rubbed a hand over his chin. He had never liked Brenda after he had found out she had betrayed Sonny, that much was true. Yet he couldn't quite forget the devastation in her eyes when she realized Sonny wasn't coming. "Even though she knew he wasn't there, she believed he would show up, she believed that so much, that she walked down the aisle, by herself, even though he wasn't standing there."

"Oh god."

"She turned around when I came in, and I saw the hope in her eyes, until she realized it was me and not him. Her first question was if he was okay, and I said he was but he wasn't coming. I had to tell her that, in front of everyone," he shrugged, trying to dispel the nasty afterthoughts that memory evoked. "So in a sense I know what your fiancé probably felt."

She didn't want to ask. She didn't want to know. But she had too. "What happened to her?"

"She ended up having a nervous breakdown," Elizabeth groaned and buried her face in her dress, so he hurried on. "But she was always a little unstable."

"Is that story supposed to make me feel less guilty?" Her dress muffled her words, but he could hear the demand in them clear enough. "Because if it was, you missed the boat."

"I'm sorry. It worked out for her in the end though, she got together with another guy," keeping his tone neutral was hard when discussing Jax, but he gave it a shot. "This guy and her seemed to be really happy, much happier then she had been with my friend."

"Seemed to be?" Curious she raised her head to look at him.

"She died in an auto accident."

"Oh, that's so sad," empathy had her touching his hand. "How about your friend did he handle ending the wedding okay?"

Jason thought of Sonny, ending things with Brenda, even though it was for the best, was the one thing Sonny never seemed to fully recover from. Her death only made it worse for him to bear. He believed Sonny was still grieving for her, and that was why he kept making little mistakes in both his personal and professional life. For the first time in weeks, he let himself wonder how Sonny was doing. He knew that there hadn't been any life or death situations. If there had been Sonny would have called. But sometimes Sonny did the most damage, when it was just him by himself.

"Jason?"

"He's dealing," he offered finally. "He knew it was for the best, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt him."

"You mean he didn't marry her because he loved her?" Elizabeth asked. "How does that make sense?"

Jason eyed her. "You say you love your fiancé, yet you didn't marry him. How does that make sense?"

Elizabeth gasped, dropped his hand and shifted farther away from him. "Touché."

Jason groaned and rubbed angrily at the back of his neck. Why did he keep saying the wrong things to her? Things that only seemed to hurt her. "Elizabeth I didn't mean…"

"To hurt me, I know. And you didn't, again you are only pointing out things I already know. Things, that, I have been sitting on this bench trying to figure out for myself. My Gram says I know why I ran, but I can't seem to make the answer come to me. All I know is I felt trapped in that church, so I ran."

"Then let it go for right now," Jason offered. "You don't have to have all the answers this minute. They'll come to you when they're supposed to."

"A philosopher biker," she grinned. "You make much of a living doing that?"

Jason smiled back at her, and the silence that descended was a peaceful one. The wind blew off the water and he saw her shiver. Since the sun had set it had dropped about 15 degrees. "What do you say we take this inside somewhere? Lunch was a long time ago." He got to his feet and held out his hand.

Puzzled she frowned up at him. "Why are you helping me Jason? It seems like I've caused you nothing but trouble since we met."

"Do I have to have a reason?" He asked patiently holding out his hand. "Can't I just give you a hand?"

She gnawed on her bottom lip for another second before reaching up and grasping his hand. As soon as they made contact she knew she had made a mistake. She had forgotten in the last several minutes, why it was dangerous for her to be around him. But with one touch, the knowledge came back to her. With it, came the nerves, and awareness that his presence awoke in her.

He had just made a tactical mistake. He realized it as soon as he pulled her to her feet and she came to a rest a few inches in front of him. She barely reached his shoulder, yet he had the uncomfortable feeling that she could pack one hell of a punch. Caution and instinct was telling him to drop her hand and step away from her. Instead he shifted his hold on her hand, lacing their fingers and tugged lightly on her hand so she fell into step beside him.

Neither mentioned the attraction that was arching between them, but they were both aware of it. The silence was tense again, because of that awareness, and their unwillingness to act on it. The only noise was the leaves under their feet as they headed for the park entrance.

Elizabeth nervously licked her lips and her eyes looked everywhere but at the man beside her. She had been surprised to see him again. Surprised and relieved. She didn't feel as alone when she was with him. No she didn't feel alone, but she felt other stuff. Much too much, other stuff. It was hard for her to define all the emotions he stirred up inside of her. But a few of the strongest were want, desire, hormones. Whatever you wanted to call it, it raged inside of her whenever she was near him.

"Will you quit sighing I'm not going to attack you," Jason's voice shattered the quiet.

Jolted she stopped walking, since they were still holding hands, he stopped as well. "What do you mean by that?"

"I realize you don't want to talk about it, and believe me I don't really either. But we have too, after all it's one of the reasons you're running away from," he sighed and bit the bullet. "Nothing is going to happen between us."

"Of course nothing going to happen between us," hurt at his words she dropped his hand and took a step back. "What made you think that something would? Wait a minute who says I'm running away from you?"

Frustration and irritation began building inside of him again. "Maybe because every time we spend more than five minutes alone together we end up almost kissing?" She scoffed at that remark and he went on. "You couldn't leave me fast enough earlier, if one of those old ladies would have been behind you, you would have ran her over in your haste to get away."

"Please," she dismissed his words with a wave of her hand. "You are so delusional. I was leaving because I was getting tired of being grabbed by you at the whim of your hormones every time I turned around."

Irritation turned to anger. "My hormones? Look lady you've been pressing against me all day long. And, you sure as hell didn't pull away from me at lunch, in fact you leaned closer. The same thing happened when my bike broke down, again you moved closer to me, you couldn't seem to get close enough. Did you forget that part?"

"Ha. In your dreams biker boy." She wasn't sure what she was trying to accomplish by provoking him. But she couldn't help needling him. "I have taste, and you don't make the cut."

He took a step closer, but she didn't retreat, only gazed up at him with those mocking blue eyes of hers. "Did I imagine the kiss in the truck then?"

That caused her to laugh, and the sound of it echoed around the deserted park. "You call that a kiss?" She asked mockingly. "If you do then you really are delusional," she bluffed off her reaction to the devastatingly sweet kiss that had been all too brief for her sanity. "I had better kisses when I was twelve," she sighed heavily and began to move around him. "I think we were right in splitting up biker boy. You just don't seem to be able to grasp reality."

Before she could take more than a step, he had her by the elbow. She had time for a breath before she was spun around and was face to face with about 180 lbs of angry male. "Problem?" She asked with a raised brow.

A part of him knew what she was doing. She was trying to pick a fight so they wouldn't have to deal with their unspoken attraction. He knew that, yet he didn't care. He could read the dare in her glittering eyes, and that pushed him over the edge. 

"What are you doing?" She asked coolly when he continued to stare at her.

"You seem to be confused as to what a kiss is. I thought I would clarify it for you," he drawled huskily.

She tried to remain calm, but her pulse was racing, both from his nearness and the intent she read in his eyes as he pulled her in his arms. He quirked a brow, and that firmed her resolve. "Hit me with your best shot biker boy," she countered casually.

Her full lips were curved in a half smile, her cool eyes were trained on is, the expression on her face was bored curiosity, yet her pulse was throbbing in her throat. He settled her firmly against her chest and he heard her inhale sharply. She definitely wasn't immune.

It was his smile that did it, she would realize that later, but at that moment she was lost. The rakish smile curved across his lips, an instant before he brought his mouth to hers. The sight of that smile caused her to blink and part her lips in shock, it also doomed her. Her air backed up in her lungs and anticipation made her blood throb.

His mouth was hot, hard, and hungry. This was no gentle kiss of persuasion like the earlier kiss had been. This kiss was demanding, dangerous, and devastating. Kissing him was like sliding into a volcano, and the fire threatened to consume her, but she didn't care. Even as she strove for a blasé response, her hands slid possessively around his neck, pulling herself even tighter against him. They separated for an instant, and as she gasped for air he closed the distance between them again, claiming her mouth for his own. He heightened the kiss even more, sliding his tongue deep inside, taunting her, teasing her, and tormenting himself when she matched him fire for fire.

What had begun as an effort to teach her a lesson, was quickly spiraling out of control. The longer he touched her, the more he wanted. The more he took from her, the more she gave. The groan he heard was low and vibrating with need, and it came from him not her. Desire had him by the throat and threatened to consume him. He wanted her and for once he wanted to take what he wanted. But then her ring got caught in his hair, and the tug he felt when she moved it, brought reality crashing into him.

Fighting to regain his sanity. His control. He broke the kiss and stepped away from her so quickly that she stumbled slightly, but he didn't steady her. He was too busy fighting the fog of desire that seemed to have settled in his brain. Christ she was dangerous.

Emotions clogged her throat, too many for her to identify, and made it difficult for her to breathe. What air she managed to drag in sounded ragged, shallow, and loud to her ears. A kiss shouldn't be that devastating, and yet it had been. And she wanted to kiss him again. She wanted his kiss him all night long, and never, ever stop. 

That terrified her. 

That fear made her recover first. The confusing feelings he awoke in her, caused her to react anyway she could, and she chose denial. Fear, and pride stiffened her back and she eyed him coolly. "Not bad biker boy. Just think with a little practice you might really have a career as a gigolo."

Jason looked at her in surprise, but before he could react she had turned and hurried away from him.

Water, a river, an ocean, something, anything. She needed something frigid to cool herself off. But more importantly than that, she could never be alone with Jason again. Not after kissing him like that. She had a feeling she wouldn't survive a second round with him, and she wanted to survive. She heard footsteps coming up fast and hard from behind her and she put on more speed, only to jerk to a stop and give a cry of surprise when Deb and Dana suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Oh my dear, I'm sorry we startled you." Deb cried. "We've been looking everywhere for you," she brightened when Jason joined them. "And Jason," she winked at Dana. "See I told you when we found one, we would find the other."

"That's right you did," Dana agreed. She was tempted to fan herself, they had found them about five minutes ago, but would have never interrupted that moment. Those kisses she had just seen between these two, were better than any that she had ever received, or had ever seen on a movie or TV screen. 

Elizabeth nervously ran a hand through her hair, she could feel Jason's presence behind her, but she didn't look at him. So much for a quick retreat. "What did you need?"

"Well since we knew you two, didn't know anyone in town, and were basically stuck here, we wanted to show you the limited surprises Greeley can offer." Deb explained and nudged her friend in the ribs.

"Right," Dana cried out. "So we want you to come with us."

"I don't think," Elizabeth started.

"Nonsense," Deb grabbed Elizabeth's arm before she could move away. "You can't turn me down, it wouldn't be nice."

Elizabeth found herself being propelled down the sidewalk, the older woman was a lot stronger than she looked. Confused she darted a look over her shoulder at Jason, in time to see Dana take his arm and tug him into motion so they were following her and Deb.

"So tell me about yourself Jason," Dana ordered keeping a firm grip on his arm.

Jason recognized the stubborn glint in her eyes as one he had seen in his Grandmother's on many an occasion. With a smothered sigh, he shifted her hold until it was gripping his elbow and matched her pace. "There's not much to tell."

~*~*~*~

"Bingo?" Elizabeth asked in surprise when she walked in the crowded room and recognized the setup.

"Not just bingo," Deb corrected. "Tonight's bingo is in conjunction with the annual Piotique celebration, so the jackpots are so much bigger," she was jostled hard from behind, and turned to glare at an elderly woman on crutches. "As such all the riff raff are out in force."

The woman on crutches glared at her and moved closer bringing a crutch down on Deb's foot. "Sorry Debbie, I forgot what big feet you had," the older woman said with a smile when Deb yelped.

"Ethel," Deb narrowed her eyes. "I didn't know you were out. Did the jailors get fed up you already?"

"You know darn well I was innocent of those charges." Ethel bellowed.

"Ethel you haven't been innocent of anything since you were five," Deb retorted.

"Uh-oh," Dana murmured. "That doesn't look good. Come on." 

Jason didn't bother to question her, he just moved over to where Deb was apparently fighting with an older woman on crutches.

"Ethel," Dana cried out as they got nearer. "You look," she trailed off as she studied the woman with the eggplant hair, and the cast on her foot. "Good."

"Bite me North." Ethel ordered. "Stay out of my way Deb," she began to move past her, and paused beside Elizabeth, raking her eyes critically over Elizabeth's disheveled appearance. 

"Deb wouldn't dream of getting in your way," Michele called out loudly before crossing over to them with Julie behind her. "The last person who got in your way was pinned under you when you fell off the ladder. And why were you on the ladder? Oh that's right, you were peeping through a window, too bad the window didn't belong to you. I wonder if that boy has recovered yet."

"Michele, as crass as ever I see," Ethel said with a sniff.

"Oh push off Merman," Julie ordered. "Before we get mean."

"You four stick together like you always so. And you are alone like always as well. At least I managed to marry my man, none of you seem to be able to hold onto one, no matter how slutty you act," she focused on Elizabeth.

"That's right you trapped your man the old fashioned way, by using a baby. Of course you ran that scam on three other people before Hutch Merman fell for it," Michele commented.

"Slut," Ethel fell back on her standard taunt, before focusing on Elizabeth. "And now you're bringing in even younger sluts."

Before any of the women had a chance to react Jason was in front of Ethel. "Don't ever call her that again."

Startled, Ethel stepped back.

"Jason," Elizabeth touched his arm. "Ignore her, she's obviously suffering from a bad hair dye."

"Harrumph." Ethel snorted and moved away to her table. As soon as she sat down, the other people at the table, got their cards and moved away, leaving her there alone.

Julie giggled. "You fit right in Elizabeth. Ethel is a bit of a nemesis of ours."

"Was she the teacher who got caught spying on an old student of hers?" Jason asked.

The women looked at him in surprise. He shrugged. "I heard about it at a gas station."

"Yes she was the one," Deb nodded.

"Enough about Ethel, let's get going. There's money to be made here." If there was something that rivaled Michele's need for affection, it was her need for money.

The four moved to the bins that the cards were kept in and Dana and Deb quickly filled the other two in on what they had seen in the park.

Elizabeth's irrepressible grin was back and Jason met it with one of his own. "They are characters aren't they?" she asked.

"That description will work," he focused on the scene around them. "Bingo?"

She laughed at his expression. "It won't be that bad. Besides what else is there to do?" She took his arm. "Chicken?"

He narrowed his eyes and glanced down at her, apparently they were back to teasing again. "Not hardly, just curious as to how you will pay."

"Jason," she looked up at him with a smile on her face and a plea in her eyes.

~*~*~*~

__

Thwack

Startled Jason jerked his hand towards his body and looked up into shrewd brown eyes. "What did you do that for?"

"If your eyes stray one more time youngin, I'm going to get my switch and tan your backside."

Elizabeth who was beside him began to shake with laughter and Jason eyed the woman across from him in disbelief. The white haired woman was at least 90, and since she barely cleared the table, she couldn't be much taller than 4'5", and if she weighed 80 lbs he would be surprised. He flexed his still stinging fingers, but she had a dead eye when it came to a ruler.

"How in the hell are you supposed to cheat playing bingo?" Jason muttered. This form of bingo was different then what was in the casinos, as such he didn't see how a person could cheat using these old and weathered cardboard cards.

"Shh." Elizabeth whispered when the old woman shot him a warning glare. "Bingo is serious business in these parts."

Jason just shook his head and blocked a square off when another number was called. He still hadn't figured out why he was still here. He had never planned to stay, after that scene in the park he wanted to get as far away from Elizabeth as he could. Instead he was sitting right next to her, in an overcrowded and smoky room, and he could feel every move she made. He groaned loudly when she shifted again, pressing her thigh against his.

At that noise Michele leaned across the table, her green eyes flashing in warning. "Jason sweetie, you are sexy as hell, and a real joy to be around. But if you don't shut up I'll take Mrs. Brewster's ruler here and tan you a new one. Do I make myself clear boy?"

Heeding the warning in the once affable woman's eyes, Jason merely nodded, before turning to glare at Elizabeth whose face was bright red from trying to hold back her laughter. Women, he figured with a frown, were definitely insane. And this group was worse than the rest. The next break he was leaving.

~*~*~*~

"How's your hand Jason?" Deb asked when a bingo had been called out and there was a break in the gaming.

"It's fine she barely hit it," he replied defensively.

"I meant the cut you had earlier. The one sweet Elizabeth here bandaged for you," Deb clarified.

Elizabeth automatically looked at his hand, and saw a thin cut but no blood.

"It's fine," he shrugged. "I still want to know how that woman thought I was cheating."

"Cheating is a big deal around here Jason. Most of us take even the hint of cheating seriously." Julie offered an explanation.

"And you have to be quiet," Michele added.

"Why? The guy has a microphone, you can hear him easily."

"You need to hear the ball popup, that way as soon as he calls it you can cry out. Seconds count in this game," Dana explained and the other women at the table nodded seriously.

"Mrs. Brewster," Deb gestured to the woman who had swatted Jason. "Takes cheating more seriously than most. But with the history you can't blame her."

"Deb Vee."

Deb swallowed hard when she heard her name coming from the gravel voice. She turned to face the old woman, her back ramrod straight. "Yes Mrs. Brewster?"

"Have your returned your library book yet?"

Deb winced. Althea Brewster had been hounding her about that book for close to 50 years now. It didn't seem to matter to Mrs. Brewster that Deb had babysat all summer, so she could pay for a new book. It didn't matter that she had swept the library out, every night for 6 months as additional punishment. Mrs. Brewster still wanted the copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ that Deb had borrowed more than 50 years earlier, returned to her library. Deb eyed the ancient librarian, the woman who had terrified every child who entered the library for more than 70 years, warily. "No ma'am."

Mrs. Brewster gave a loud sniff and rose slowly from the table. "You should find and return my book. Books are treasures, meant to be enjoyed by people, not lost by frivolous little girls."

"Yes ma'am," Deb agreed meekly before shooting a glare at her friends who were laughing at the tongue-lashing she was receiving. Mrs. Brewster moved away and Deb gave into temptation and stuck out her tongue at her departing shuffle.

"Yes Deb books are treasures." Michele offered a dead on impersonation of Mrs. Brewster. "Foolish girls shouldn't borrow stuff if they can't return it."

"And why can't I return the book Michele?" Deb demanded. "Because you and Dana had it with you that day you went down to the pond to spy on the boys why they were swimming. And when you two broke the tree branch and fell into the river, you took my book with you. Unfortunately you two were the only things that managed to get out of the river."

Michele ignored Deb's rant and focused on an amused Elizabeth. "She's just jealous because we got an eyeful of Mike that day, and she was stuck at home with pink eye."

Elizabeth's laugh quickly died when Deb turned to glare at her. She wisely decided to change the subject. She had discovered early on that these women, though they were good friends, loved to snipe at each other. "What did you mean about Mrs. Brewster's history with cheating?"

"Because of what her daughter Jill did. You saw Carl Phelps, Jill's son earlier today, his idiocy is inherited," Julie explained with a wry smile.

"It was all quite a scandal. Jill and Carl have been banned from the Elk's Lodge for life because of what they did," Dana chimed in.

"But what did she do?"

"She distracted Mr. Young, the caller, so Carl would weigh his balls," Deb explained.

Deb's voice carried because of the lull in conversation around them, and all was quiet for a second, then Michele spit out her drink with a choked laugh, and that inspired everyone else to join in.

"What did I say?" Deb asked in confusion.

Her expression and that line even got Jason to laugh. Confusion reigned around them for several minutes, before it finally began to die down. When it did Elizabeth was leaning weakly against him, brushing the tears from her eyes, while Deb was focused on the table and muttering something under her breath.

"What Deb meant to say," Julie began when she could. "Was that Jill distracted Mr. Young, while Carl replaced the balls being used in the game with specially weighted balls, so certain numbers would always come up."

"That's what I said." Deb cried.

"Deb honey you weren't even close," Dana corrected her.

Before the laughter could go on too long, Mrs. Brewster was back and the games began again. It was some time later when Jason realized he had forgotten that he was going to leave.

~*~*~*~

"I guess I don't understand what the big deal is." Jason kept his voice low so only Elizabeth could hear. "It's not like you win a lot of money doing this. Why are they so intense?" He had more money in his pocket then what had been given out in prizes in the last hour.

"Jason look around you. Who are the people playing?" Elizabeth asked and waited while he did. "Most are elderly, so their more than likely on fixed income. It's $2.00 a card and some people are playing 10 or 12 cards, you do the math."

"It they are on a fixed income why do they do it? They will more than likely lose then win."

"It's get them out of the house, they are around other people. Except for when the games are being called this place is noisy, and people move from table to table to talk. It's also a game of chance. Yes most will lose, but sometimes you win. $50 or $500 may not sound like much, but it could be more than some of them see in a month."

Jason's attention was caught by a group of six kids who went screaming up the aisle. They headed directly for a table of three couples. The couples there were the only ones even remotely the same age as him. In addition to the 6 kids now there, there were four other kids there that were toddler age. Two of the women appeared to be pregnant as well.

His eye fell on a blonde haired little boy, he was about to look away, when the boy looked up from his coloring and met his gaze. The little boy's eyes were the exact shade as Michaels, and he was about the same age as well. Jason automatically smiled back when the boy offered a shy smile displaying teeth with a lot of gaps in between them. The longing and sadness he felt for leaving his son crashed into him hard.

Had Michael's front teeth grown in yet? Could he sleep through the night? Did Michael still cry himself asleep wondering where he was? Did Michael hate him for leaving when he had promised he never would?

The questions that haunted him every night, made an early appearance in the face of the child's innocent smile. The last question haunted him the most, and it awoke such a feeling of guilt and pain that he felt a need to get away.

"Jason?" Elizabeth murmured softly and touched his hand. Jason had gone unnaturally stiff and his normally calm expression had twisted into something almost painful. He turned and focused on her and she could see the emotions swirling in his light blue eyes. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn that someone had just punched him in the gut. "Are you okay?"

Jason nodded not trusting himself to speak. He turned back towards the boy who had gone back to his coloring. He had been gone from Michael for almost 3 months now. Michael may not even remember him anymore. Instead of making him feel better, that thought made him feel even worse. He shifted, tensed and readied himself to leave, he needed air, and then Elizabeth tightened her grip on his hand and held him in place. Frowning he looked down at their hands then into her concerned eyes.

Something told Elizabeth not to let him go. The unexpected pain she had seen in Jason's eyes spoke to her, and she didn't want him to be alone. Whatever was bothering him, had nothing to do with her, but she wanted to help him all the same. After seeing the glimpse of pain in his eyes, she knew she couldn't walk away from it. She wanted to offer him whatever comfort she could, so the last thing she wanted was for him to be alone.

"We're about to start," she whispered knowing better than to mention the change in mood of the last few minutes. "You better sit still or Mrs. Brewster will smack you."

He wanted to leave, he wanted to isolate, he wanted to ride his bike until the demons were battled back. But his bike was broken, and Elizabeth wasn't letting him go. For once the steel bent and he let himself bend into her warmth, and took the unspoken comfort she offered.

When Jason relaxed enough that she knew he wasn't going to leave Elizabeth let out the breath she had been holding. If he had left she would have followed him. There was no way she was going to leave him alone while he was hurting. And whether Jason admitted it or not, he was hurting. She could never walk away from anyone who was in pain, but her determination was even more, fierce because this time the unexpected pain was coming from Jason.

After that awkward scene she had made in the park, she had thought she wanted nothing more than to get away from him. But as time had passed she found herself relaxing around him again. He was smart and his dry humor appealed to her. She hadn't felt this at ease with someone in a very long time. The attraction that so unnerved her, eased the more they teased each other, and she was grateful for the respite.

Elizabeth glanced around the room but no one was staring back, and for that she was grateful as well. Other than when she had got her cards, she hadn't received much attention. Well other than the attention she and Jason would have received anyway, being strangers in a small town. She was happy to blend back into the pack for a while. She reached for her glass and only then realized that she was still holding Jason's hand. At some point he had shifted the hold so their fingers were laced. She darted a glance at him but he was looking away from her. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact they were still holding hands. She was about to pull her hand away and instead set her glass back down and left it where it was.

Holding hands couldn't hurt anything, it would only be for a few more minutes until the game started anyway.

~*~*~*~

The 4 would be matchmakers were very aware that Elizabeth and Jason were holding hands. They had watched with interest and puzzlement the whispered conversation between the two. And had held their collective breathes when it seemed like Jason was going to leave. So far so good.

"You want to tell me again why you asked Eunice to get her husband to open the shop in the morning so Jason could get his bike fixed?" Michele demanded.

"Because Jason was impatient enough that if he knew he couldn't get the part tomorrow he would have checked around trying to find it elsewhere. How long would it have been before the sharks at Hess Salvage caught wind of that and sold him the parts at a 20% markup? He would have fixed his bike and been gone tonight if that happened," Deb whispered the explanation. "But Jason isn't asking anyone because he knows that he will get the part tomorrow morning at 8:00. So I bought them a night together."

"You know you may look all pristine in those fancy lace collars of yours Deb, but you can be downright sneaky when you have to be," Julie congratulated her friend.

Deb beamed at the compliment.

"Now all we have to do is make sure that these 2 are together, we can't let one leave in a snit. Judging from what we witnessed in the park, if these two are around each other long enough, nature will definitely take its course," Dana stated confidently.

"Bingo is almost over, then there is the BBQ provided by the Kiwanis club and the dance, being held next door. I bet Jason can move," Michele said with a sigh.

"Gutter patrol time," Julie said with a roll of her eyes.

~*~*~*~

In the end Jason only needed a second's distraction. Deb coughed loudly and Elizabeth looked at her in concern and that gave him the opening he needed. By the time Elizabeth focused on her cards again, he was looking at the board.

Elizabeth blinked. "Bingo," she cried in surprise when she realized she had four corners blocked. Where was her brain she hadn't even realized she was close. She held the card up high while Michele started cursing under her breath.

A man came over and scanned the card then nodded. "Head up front."

Elizabeth's grin was wide as she climbed over the bench and moved to the front. It was the first thing she had won since she was 11 years old and had won the local spelling bee, of course she got her but kicked at regional, but for a few weeks life was sweet.

Jason watched her move to the front then his gaze fell on the sharp eyes of Mrs. Brewster. "The next time you feel generous boy, shove it over here," she told him with a rare smile.

Jason nodded back while the matchmaking four gasped in disbelief. Althea Brewster hadn't smiled since Eisenhower was in office.

In the smoky too bright room, Elizabeth stood out. Not only was she one of the youngest women in the room, she also had an interesting look going. The once pristine white wedding dress, was now a mixture of stains and rips. The threads from the lace that had once been there, hung from her shoulder and waist. She had a large piece missing from the skirt, exposing her calf. Dirt, oil, grass, grease, blood, mixed with the white, staining the dress, and for the first time in a long time, Elizabeth felt uncomfortable.

"Here you go Missy," Mr. Young counted out the bills. "$150.00," he frowned at the unfamiliar girl. "Maybe you and your young man can use this to start your new life right."

Elizabeth flushed and closed her hand around the money. The large diamond winked in the light, and Mr. Young gasped when he saw it. "Thanks."

The whispers started as she began to move back down the aisle to her table and her eyes automatically met Jason's. The longing she felt when they met, surprised her and compelled her to keep moving. "I'll be right back," she whispered then kept going until she left the room.

~*~*~*~

"I kissed him. And God help me I want to kiss him again," Elizabeth wailed into the phone.

__

"Did he kiss you back?" Audrey nodded at the waiter to refill her wine glass.

"Yes, but it's not like I gave him a choice."

__

"What did you jump on him until he kissed you? Or hold your breath until you got your way?" Audrey asked with a smile. Those had been Elizabeth's best tricks to get her way.

"No," she slid down the wall until she was sitting below the phone. "I sort of goaded him into it. You know being a male it's easy to manipulate them, all you have to do is challenge them and their testosterone kicks in and their yours."

__

"That's true. How did you challenge him?"

"I questioned his kissing techniques, and believe me, I had no right to do that," she sighed at the memory. She had never been kissed so thoroughly in her life.

__

"It sounds like Jason had made quite an impression on you. Have you made the same on him?"

"Oh I've been memorable all right. I don't know why I can't seem to leave him alone. I have enough craziness in my life, without dragging more into it. For crying out loud I was supposed to be married by now."

__

Audrey decided it was time to try to lead her granddaughter to some realizations. As hard as they may be for Elizabeth to see, it needed to be done. "Elizabeth tell me the truth."

"I always do."

__

"What was your first impulse when you woke up this morning. In that little time before you opened your eyes, what was your first thought?"

"How quick could I get to the airport," she admitted with a sigh.

__

"What does that tell you?"

"I don't know," she jerked a hand through her tangled curls. "You were the one that encouraged me to branch out this summer. You kept saying I was only 22 that I hadn't even begun to live yet. So maybe I'm finally taking your advice. Maybe that's what Jason is, my last fling, so too speak, before getting married. I mean I'm bound to be curious what it would be like with another man. After all the only man I've ever been with is my fiancé. Don't get me wrong, our love life is great, I have no complaints," she sucked in a breath then continued on. "So what if he doesn't make me stutter. That's no big deal, I mean if you think about it, stuttering is a bad thing."

__

"Elizabeth..."

"People go too therapists to get rid of stuttering. But that's beside the point," Elizabeth got to her feet and began to pace in front of the phone. "We are good together, no it's more than that we are great together. This has got to be a latent hormonal reaction. Jason is a good looking man, even a blind woman would be attracted from the sound of his voice alone, and his hands," she sighed. "They are so warm and strong, and when they touch you, you feel so safe." Oh god she was doing it again. "Its just hormones right Gram?"

__

"Only you can answer that Elizabeth." A part of her heart broke for her granddaughter, when heard the confusion in her voice. But the largest part of her was thrilled that someone was finally making Elizabeth crazy. Being made crazy by a man was one of the best things that could happen to a woman.

"I was going to be married today Gram. I don't want to lose him. This has to be a last fling thing," Elizabeth cried when the door opened behind her and Dana and Julie walked in.

__

"But Elizabeth when you ran from the church today you didn't even know Jason existed. You ran on your own."

"I," she trailed off. God that was true. She had run, but she hadn't run to Jason, she had run into him. What did that mean? If possible she felt even more confused. "I don't want to lose him. He's my best friend, my fiancé."

__

"You don't want to lose him as what Elizabeth? Your best friend or your fiancé?" Audrey asked the hardest question yet.

"I," she swallowed hard. "I have to go Gram. Bye," Elizabeth hung up before she could respond and moved towards the sink to wash her hands, avoiding the curious gazes of Julie and Dana.

"You know what I think?" Julie said after a minute. "I think a change of scenery is called for. Dana why don't you tell the others that we'll be back in a little while."

Dana nodded and headed for the door.

"Come on Elizabeth," not giving her a chance to refuse Julie grabbed her elbow and propelled the smaller woman from the room.

~*~*~*~

Jason took the longneck bottle of beer from the bartender with a nod, then turned around and studied the rapidly filling room. He darted a glance at his watch. Elizabeth had disappeared over 45 minutes ago and he couldn't help scanning the crowd for her. He had recognized the hurt in her eyes, when she had rushed past the table after winning the money.

When Dana had returned later with the news that she was going somewhere with Julie, he couldn't help but be concerned. The ladies were nice, but he couldn't help but feeling that they had an agenda where him and Elizabeth were concerned. He brought the bottle to his lips and took a long sip. Whatever they had planned wouldn't work. He had decided not to be alone with Elizabeth again. As long as there were people around, they seemed to get along better, and it was easier to fight the attraction.

Seeing her in the wedding dress all the time also helped. Every time he felt himself weakening, all he had to see was that dress in the bright light and it reminded him why she was off limits. As long as he stuck to crowds, and she was in her dress, there shouldn't be a problem at all. He lifted the bottle to his lips and it froze in place halfway there when he saw her.

He started at the shiny new black boots that led into black pants. The heels on the boots, and the black pants gave her legs the illusion of length that he didn't know she possessed, and fit snugly around her narrow hips. The deep blue sweater was the color of her eyes and it clung to her breasts and fell to just above the snap of her pants. Every once and awhile a flash of skin of her lean stomach was in view, as she moved toward him. The deep V of the sweater dipped to the top swell of her breasts, and set off the necklace of moon and stars that hung around her neck. 

Once he finally got past the body his gaze settled on her face, and what a face. Her hair had had been brushed out and fell loose to her shoulders, the curls were tamed at the moment. She had applied makeup, in that fashion that all women seemed to be able to do, darkening her eyes making them stand out in her face. Her once unpainted mouth was now tinged soft pink, and her lips looked even fuller and more delectable. The wedding dress he had been counting on to hold her at bay was no longer in view.

Shit. 


	6. Trouble

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Disclaimer: the standard blather. Don't sue me.

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Feedback: To quote the song lyric. Is there anybody out there? Humor me let me know what you think

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Author's Joy: Did you hear Jason is coming back to the show? Hot damn.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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Bride on the Loose

Part VI

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~Dinner~

"You know Jason I think your food is safe to eat. Little 'babe' over there has been roasting for hours now. I doubt it will oink in protest if you eat your sandwich."

Jason blinked in surprise and focused on her. "What?"

"Your food," Elizabeth gestured to the as yet untouched pulled pork sandwich on the table in front of him. "I said it's safe to eat. Either the fire killed the pig, or it drowned in BBQ sauce, but regardless it's dead."

He glanced at his plate automatically then shrugged. "I guess I'm not hungry."

"Thank god that affliction rarely happens to me," she said with a smile, before taking another big bite of her sandwich, a part of the meat slipped free and hit the napkin on her lap. She was hungry but she wasn't stupid. The sweater was barely a half hour old, and she was determined to make it through the meal before she got something on it, so she was doing her best to protect herself.

With a shake of his head, in reluctant amusement, his eyes moved on and roved the room. It seemed most of the people that had been at bingo had made the trek next door for dinner. There were also plenty of new faces as well. Most of those faces were of people closer to his age. And unlike at bingo, both him and Elizabeth were attracting attention.

He had to admit that the attention they were receiving was definitely less then they would have been getting if she were still in her wedding dress. So in that respect he should be glad that she had changed. He should be glad, but in fact, wasn't. He would much rather be sitting across from her while she wore tattered white, as a reminder of where she had come from, then how it was now. The soft blue v-necked sweater was just too inviting and distracting for his comfort. She looked very appealing and that was dangerous.

"The clerk at the hotel didn't seem that surprised to see me," Elizabeth decided to give conversation another try. "You wouldn't happen to know why would you?"

Jason focused on her again, but didn't answer her question. "So you got a room?"

"Yes I got a room, I also got these clothes, and all of it was paid for by the money I won at bingo," her smile was a tad superior. "You see sometimes those chances pay off. I'm going to get by tonight without any help from anybody."

Jason merely nodded he had a feeling she wouldn't like to know the truth, that it had been his card that had won the money.

"Did something happen while I was gone that upset you? You seem even more quiet then you normally are."

"Nothing happened," he answered shortly. He saw her smile flicker, then disappear entirely and swallowed an oath. "I'm not used to being around someone for a long period of time. It's been awhile since I had a conversation that involved more than, what would you like to order."

"Have you been on the road for a long time then?" She asked.

"I guess," he shrugged. "It's what? August 29th?" she nodded and he went on. "I've been traveling for a little over 3 months now."

Elizabeth started in surprise. "You haven't been home in over three months?"

"No."

Curious at the first real personal information he was giving her, she gave up all pretense of eating. "Do you know where you're going? I mean do you have a plan or do you just make it up as you go along?"

"It depends. I don't have a set itinerary. I just go where I want to, when I want too. If I don't like some place I'll just move on," he set his empty beer bottle on the table and caught a passing waitress' eye to get another one.

"That sounds so liberating," her eyes sparkled in interest. "What happens if you get to a crossroads and you don't know which way to go?"

"Oh well then," he stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a quarter, "I use an old method to decide."

"The quarter method," she nodded in approval. "I'm impressed I've heard that technique can be hard to master."

"It's all in the toss," he explained flipping the quarter.

She watched the quarter dance through the air. "I thought it was all in the landing."

"No. Landing's are overrated."

"In that case," she moved quickly and snatched the quarter out of the air before it could hit his palm. "It just happened to land in my hand and not yours," her laugh echoed around the table and brought a reluctant answering smile to his lips.

He sat back to let the waitress set another bottle of beer in front of him. He smiled at her absently in thanks, but failed to notice the way that made the woman, blink and turn red. He might not have noticed but Elizabeth didn't miss it, or the fact the woman had sucked in enough of her gut that her chest was about to flow out of her t-shirt in response.

"Thanks," Elizabeth informed her stiffly and inclined her head to the bar, to move the waitress along. 

The waitress nodded reluctantly and flounced away.

Elizabeth dismissed the waitress from her mind and looked at her companion again. "So what started you off on this journey of yours anyway?"

Jason's smile died when images of Michael, Carly and others drifted through his mind. The expected shaft of pain, that he felt whenever he thought about them, arrived soon after.

Elizabeth saw a shutter descend in his eyes, turning them a frosty cool blue, and felt bad for making it happen. It appeared that she was as capable of triggering his wounds as easily as he could trigger hers. 

"Forget I asked. It's none of my business," not wanting him to shut down on her entirely she changed the subject. "This really isn't a bad meal. I have to admit I'm pleasantly surprised. I just have one question though. Why exactly do they shove an apple in a pig's mouth before roasting it? It doesn't seem to make much sense to me. I mean…"

As Jason half-listened to her talk, he couldn't help but compare her reaction to the other women who had been in his life. Whenever Robin had said something that had made him shut down, she always ended up making him feel like it was his fault. She would look sad, and stare at him with such hurt in her dark eyes, that he felt guilty. Or she would want him to share his feelings with her regardless, because that was how people did things in relationships. Carly on the other hand would follow him, talk to him, nag, demand, and generally frustrate him until he was ready to scream.

But Elizabeth did neither of these things. She had caught his reluctance to talk, much like she had caught his uneasiness at bingo, without him having to say a word. And like she had at bingo she was trying to change the subject to make him feel better. There were no wounded eyes or accusations, just an attempt to make him feel better, by letting it go. Of course it was only natural for her to react differently, he reminded himself sharply, she wasn't involved with him the same way Carly and Robin had been. They weren't involved at all, he was merely giving her a ride.

This was just a ride, and a ride didn't equal involvement, he went on trying to convince himself. Simple conversation over dinner didn't mean involvement either. He hadn't shared a meal with a woman in months, so he was just going to enjoy her company and let it go at that. He'd keep the conversation light, and wouldn't get pulled in by those big blue eyes of hers anymore. She was just a stranger he was giving a ride too. A stranger who had given him one of the sweetest and steamiest memories of his life, with that kiss in the park, grimacing he set the bottle down with a thunk.

Startled Elizabeth trailed off. She knew he hadn't been listening to her, but she had kept talking anyway. Wherever he had gone obviously wasn't a good place, because if anything he looked even tenser than before. She backtracked in her mind trying to think of what else she could have said to upset him.

"Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

Surprised at the direct question all she could do was stare, pulling herself back into the moment, she concentrated on his question. "Not really. I can't even figure out why I ran. So how am I supposed to figure out what I'm supposed to do now?"

The last thing he wanted to do was to get more involved, and yet he couldn't help but be drawn in by her troubled expression. The longer he was around her the deeper he fell, and he didn't like that. "Did you two have a fight about the wedding?"

"No we get along great. We've been together for so long now, that we've already ironed out most of the big fights," she picked up her fork and began to play with her food. "I guess, now that I think about it, he has been pushing me to talk to him in the last month or so. Gram says he's my best friend, and he is, so it's only normal that he would realize something was bothering me. Hell he probably knew it before I did. In fact I couldn't admit there was a problem until I couldn't open the door this morning."

"How long have you two been together? You don't look that old."

She smirked and shook her head. "I think there was a compliment in there somewhere. Give me a minute and I'll find it."

"Cute," Jason muttered.

"Two in a row, I'm doing good," she teased and earned herself another glare. Schooling her features she turned serious. "I fell for him the first time I saw him, when I was 15 and he was 16. It was quite a memorable first meeting I have to say. I was at the ballpark, and had a cardboard box, loaded with hotdogs and drinks, well I turned around and met him box first. Splat, everything went all over his shirt," she laughed softly at the memory.

Jason had no trouble picturing her doing just that. He had a feeling that the impish smile she had on her face now, was probably the same one she'd had on her face then. "That sounds pretty memorable."

"Oh it was believe me. If you want to make sure a guy remembers you, douse him in mustard and relish, and then throw in some ice-cold soda to seal the deal. And if you happen to do it in front of his younger brothers, he will never forget you." Her laughter was free, easy, and directed mostly at herself. "Anyway that was enough for me to get hooked. He, on the other hand, took a little more convincing."

He couldn't help but find that hard to believe. He found it hard to believe that anyone would try to walk away from the appealing woman across from him. He slammed the brakes on that thought and focused on the conversation at hand. "It seems to have worked out for you."

"I can be very determined when I want something. I wanted him so I went after him until I got him." _Then why did you run away from him?_ She blinked the unsettling question away.

"So now after 5 years you're getting married?"

"Six years," she corrected. "It took me several months to convince him that even though we made great friends, we would be even better as more. When I first told my family and friends who I had fallen for, they thought I was nuts," she shook her head. "No actually most of my family seemed to fall in the stunned relief category. They were convinced that when I fell for a guy, it would be a different kind of guy. I have to admit having their unconditional support threw me a little bit."

"Don't they support you?" Jason asked, leaning a little more over the table, when she lowered her voice.

"Of course they support me," she answered automatically. "I mean I guess in some aspects, they don't. Don't get me wrong, my family loves me, they just don't quite understand me. Not that I blame them I don't understand myself half the time. Maybe it comes from the fact, that I was the unexpected surprise. My older brother Steven, is one of the most promising thoracic surgeons in the state. So him and my dad, who is also a doctor, have always been close."

Elizabeth paused long enough to take a drink then went on with her explanation. "My older sister Sarah, she was our pursuer in the Porsche, runs an interior design business. Her and my mom are joined at the hip. They had only planned on having two kids, but then I came along. They loved the surprise of another child, and they do consider me an unexpected blessing, but I don't quite fit in with the other four. My Gram says that my focus has always been slightly left of center."

Jason didn't know if that was a compliment or an insult, so he wasn't quite sure how to respond. In the end he didn't have to.

"They watch me with a mixture of fascination, love, and worry in their eyes, all four of them. They can never figure out what I will do next or why. Why did I rollerblade around the front porch on the balcony rail? Why did I mutiny in biology class and free all the guinea pigs before we could dissect them? Why did I always try to put a square peg in a round hole? Why did I dye my hair green? I could go on and on with examples but the bottom line is they have never understood me, but their confusion is understandable, most of the time I confuse myself."

"You enjoy that don't you?" Jason observed and went on when she gave him a confused look. "You like keeping them off balance."

She opened her mouth to deny then decided why bother. "I love it." The bafflement she caused her family was one of her favorite pastimes. 

"When I first started dating my family just knew I was going to come home with one of those bad guys that daddy's always warn their daughters about. You know the ones, the ones that mother's can't help but remember even if they don't admit it. The rebel boy who was always more interesting to be around or look at, then the boy next door." Caught up in her description she leaned closer to Jason. "A real Hell's Angel type, a bike, leather, with an air of danger and unpredictability around them. The type of guy that could intimidate with a look, and also send a woman's pulse into overdrive with a mere glance. They just knew that a man like that would be the man I would eventually fall for."

She returned her glass to the table hard enough that it was a wonder it didn't break when she realized that she was sitting across from the man she was describing. Embarrassment reddened her face, and she forced herself to meet his inscrutable gaze as she tried to backtrack. 

"In the end I surprised them though, my fiancé is nothing like that out of control guy I just described. He's bright, determined, and well on his way to being a doctor. In other words my parents were thrilled with him," her throat still felt dry and nerves had settled into the pit of her stomach. The nerves provoked a typical reaction from her … they encouraged her to talk.

"So they were all for this relationship and this wedding. Heck if they could have had it their way, we would have gotten married right out of high school, instead of waiting to finish college. He was the one aspect of my life, that I didn't worry my parents about, the only part that I had their full support in." The more she tried to shut up, the more words came flying out of her mouth.

"It's seems to be a general rule that if a parent likes the person you are dating, then that is a big strike against that person. That whole being contrary rule applies. But in my case it didn't. My parents totally adore my fiancé, if they could they would have adopted him into the family years ago. That was one of the reasons I didn't talk about my doubts before today, because I knew how much that would hurt my parents."

"So you were going to marry this guy because you didn't want to disappoint your parents?"

"No of course not," she snapped quickly. Then the full impact of her words of the last few minutes sunk in and she realized that was what it had sounded like. "Jesus this is so bad."

~*~*~*~

"Man I wish I could hear what they are saying," Deb cried not for the first time.

"You're the one that wanted to sit beside the buffet," Dana reminded her.

"Yeah, I wanted to sit at the table behind them, but noooo, you couldn't get away from the pork," Michele grumbled.

"It doesn't matter that we can't hear what they are saying," Julie interjected trying to ward off a fight. "Look at the body language between the two, while they are talking. They keep leaning in closer to each other. They rarely take their eyes off each other when they talk, and their feet keep bumping into each other."

"They have been alone at a table for over a half an hour now, with neither one of them running away. That is a good thing," Deb allowed.

"What the hell is that skank doing here?" Michele cried out suddenly.

"Who?" Dana shifted in her seat to follow Michele's focus on the people who had just entered the room. "Oh god what the hell is she wearing."

"I think you call it a caftan," Julie replied.

"Caftan hell," Michele snorted. "With her weight, that is a muumuu with an emphasis on the Moo."

"Michele," Deb tried to sound firm, but it was hard. Jill Phelps was pushing 350 and with the pink flowered muumuu, she was wearing, and bright purple tennis shoes, she did resemble a reject from the elephant brigade of Fantasia.

"Dana are you okay?" Julie asked in concern when her friend began to gasp.

"What the hell is on her head?" Dana demanded when she could.

It looked like a flower, possibly it had been a sunflower at one point. Now however it was a smashed, flat looking yellow blob that was tucked behind her right ear, holding back a stringy strand of burnt orange colored hair.

"Oh man she's got her son with him," Julie groaned. "And to think this night once held so much promise."

The would-be matchmakers watched the garishly dressed woman make her way to the buffet. Carl and his ever widening beer gut, trailed a step behind, carrying her red, white and blue oversized canvas bag on his arm.

"Someone better notify the port authority, the Titanic has finally docked," Michele commented. There was absolutely no love loss between her and Jill.

Dana leaned back in her chair and caught Julie's attention and she shifted back as well. "Remind me what is the latest on Jill and Michele?"

"Michele hasn't seen Jill since the incident at Duckwalls," Julie confided. "Which is a good thing for Jill, considering Michele was trying to tie Jill to the back bumper of her car and drag her over the five mile bridge."

Dana observed the woman make her way to a table, both hands were full of overflowing plates, Carl carrying his own plates, followed in her wake. The table cleared with a glare from Jill, and people scurried for cover. "Sometimes I think it was a pity that Deb stopped her."

~*~*~*~

"God do you realize how that makes me sound? I didn't mean that, I couldn't have." Desperate to correct herself Elizabeth began to ramble, her voice rising with each word. "That makes it sound like the only reason I wanted to marry him was because of my parent's approval and that is just not true. I love him, that's why I wanted to marry him," she faltered again. "I mean that is why I am going to marry him."

"Elizabeth calm down," without thinking he reached out and touched her hand trying to soothe, and she latched onto it like a lifeline.

"I'm just confused, that's all. Confused and mad. I'm mad at myself for hurting him. He didn't deserve to be hurt, he didn't do anything wrong, but I still humiliated him. I did this to him, when all he has ever done was support me." Tears filled her eyes yet she refused to let them fall. She didn't deserve the comfort the release of those tears would give her.

"Sometimes you can't help but hurt people Elizabeth. Even when you don't want too, sometimes you have to," Jason kept his voice low. "Sometimes it's necessary to hurt them to save them from even more pain."

"Hurt them so you don't hurt them? That doesn't make any sense."

"I have a friend, Carly, she says I'm her best friend, and I guess I am. To other people our relationship has been a little extreme. We started out as no-name sex partners," he saw her eyes widen at that and sighed. "Once we ended the physical part of our relationship we managed to become friends. When we had been sleeping together, we almost hated each other. But once that stopped, we were able to talk to each other, and develop a friendship. She was one of my first friends, and the only one who hadn't known me bef...," he trailed off. There were some discussions that he didn't want to have.

Her own problems momentarily forgotten Elizabeth leaned forward in rapt fascination.

"A lot of our friendship seems to revolve around me bailing her out of trouble, after some wild plan of hers backfired, and for the most part I didn't mind doing that." He wasn't sure what had compelled him to start talking about Carly, but now that he had begun, he wasn't sure he could stop until he got through it all.

"Some people wondered how I could keep Carly in my life, when all she seemed to try to do was wreck it. They never got to see the part of her that I did. The part of her that did crazy things to try to help you. Things she had no business doing, but things she did, to help not hurt. Another reason I could never turn my back on her was because she gave me the most important person in my life … my son, Michael."

Elizabeth gasped and sat back in her seat. The thought that he was a dad had never even occurred to her. Before she could question him, anger set in. Anger that he had admitted he hadn't been home in over three months that meant he hadn't seen his son in over three months.

"No," Jason corrected himself softly, oblivious to her anger. "I guess he isn't my son, either biologically or legally, anymore. Does it matter that I was the only person in his life for several months when his mother was gone? Does it matter that I was the first person he saw in the morning, and the last he saw at night, for over a year? Does it matter that I willingly walked away from everything just so I could keep being his father? Does any of that really matter?"

Compassion replaced the anger, when she saw the turmoil he was obviously still feeling in his light blue eyes. Her hand took his this time it was her turn to offer comfort. Comfort she had a feeling he was oblivious too.

"I love him more than I thought it was possible to love someone, and I promised him I would always be there for him. I wanted to keep that promise to him. And I tried, but in the end, I broke it. I broke it deliberately." He hadn't been able to talk about this with anyone, not even Sonny. But right then, in this dimly lit, smoky room, he felt compelled to speak.

"Even after the truth came out, and everyone knew I wasn't really Michael's father, I still did everything I could to stay close to him. I fought to stay in his life, I even went to Court and won visitation rights so I could still see him."

"That's good," Elizabeth murmured.

"It was supposed to be," Jason admitted. "Maybe it would have been okay if Carly hadn't panicked and began to plan. Maybe it would have been okay if she hadn't gotten scared, if we had left the way we had planned too. But that didn't happen. Carly got scared, she panicked and now we are all paying the price because of that. A part of me can't stand the fact that I left her and Michael in that house alone, yet I know it would have been worse for all of us if I had stayed."

"I don't understand," Elizabeth said softly.

"Carly got back together with Michael's father. She only did because she was afraid that she would be separated from Michael, and she would do anything for that not to happen. I could understand that, even if I didn't agree with it. Fear makes Carly do things that most people don't. The whole time she was with him, she kept telling me that she was going to get permanent custody of Michael, and then bring him back home to me," he ran a hand wearily down his cheek. "I knew it would never work, but I didn't stop her. Not that I could have, but I didn't really even try too. I wanted Michael back in my life full time, so I never even tried."

Elizabeth was beginning to feel uneasy. She had a feeling that something bad had happened. She knew Jason was okay at least physically she couldn't help but hope that his son was as well.

"The Court gave me visitation rights, the fact that I had raised Michael for over a year as my son, must have convinced them, and I was relieved that I was going to be able to see my son," he hesitated, then corrected himself, "Michael. Carly took it as a sign that in a few months she would have done what she wanted to do, and her and Michael would return to live with me."

"Did something happen?" Elizabeth asked anxiously.

"Carly wanted us to get together in every way. It didn't seem to matter to her that we almost hated each other when we were sleeping together. She had this idea in her head that we would be perfect together, that she was in fact, in love with me. And once Carly gets an idea like that you can't budge her," he sighed heavily and let go of her hand. "I couldn't make her see that she wasn't in love with me. I couldn't make her see that she was confusing friendship with the kind of love that makes relationships."

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She suddenly realized one of the reasons he was telling her his history.

"I could handle that. I didn't like telling her that it would never be like that between us, I didn't like to hurt her, but she kept forcing me too. I could handle that, but in the end what I couldn't handle was A.J."

"Who is A.J.?"

"A.J. is Michael's fa…" Even after all this time the word still got stuck in his throat. "He's his father."

"I take it you two don't get along?" She offered after seeing the cold expression on his face.

"I don't really care what people think about me, there are a few select people I consider friends, and a few others I can tolerate, but I have to admit that A.J. is the only person that I have ever hated," his voice dropped even more. "The thing is you can't hate around a baby. People may believe that babies don't understand what is going on around them, but babies know more then they think."

"I've always believed that kids are much more aware then people believe especially when it comes to picking up on emotions," Elizabeth agreed.

"So do I," Jason nodded. "And because I do believe that, I knew I couldn't stay."

"Why?"

"One day last summer, even though it wasn't my day for custody, I went and got Michael and took him to a lake. A.J. showed up, we were just swimming, but he acted like I was stealing something. That's how A.J. sees Michael, as a thing not a person," he shook his head still upset by his actions that warm summer day. "I thought they had went back to the house so I lost it, I threw his toys, I smashed his playpen."

"It sounds like you were allowed to be angry Jason."

"Not in front of a kid. I didn't want him to be confused, I didn't want him to get caught up in the hate that A.J. and I have for each other. The only way I could do that was by giving Michael up. The longer A.J. and I were around each other the nastier it got, I didn't want Michael growing up in that situation, so I had to let him go." God that decision had hurt. Even though he had made the decision months ago, it still hurt him.

"That must have been extremely hard for you to do." Compassion shown in her eyes. "It must have hurt you very much."

"I'm a grown up I can handle the hurt, but I had to hurt Michael," he explained. "That's what I hate. I had to hurt Michael. He needed me, he counted on me, and I disappeared on him. I promised him I would never leave him, and I walked away."

"It sounds like you did everything you could do to ease Michael's pain, even going so far as to hurt yourself," she countered.

"Pain I caused," he retorted.

"Pain you caused yourself," Elizabeth said firmly. "Have you seen him since you signed away your rights?" 

"I couldn't. I had to leave. I knew Carly would never give up. She would be on my every day trying to get me to change my mind. She would more then likely use Michael as a way to get me to change my mind," he scrubbed wearily at his face. "Carly is a good mother, she loves him she really does, she just doesn't believe she can do it alone. I couldn't stay around and watch her use Michael like that."

"I think it would have hurt you too much to stay around Michael and not be able to see him."

"Yeah," he agreed softly. "But it still hurts. I gave her Michael, walked out of the house and I haven't been back since. I left town that night. It's been over three months but I can still see her eyes accusing me, and I can still hear Michael crying."

Unsure of what to say, she merely took his hand.

~*~*~*~

"That looks intense." Julie nudged Deb in the ribs and jerked her head at the couple at the table across the way.

"They are touching a lot more now aren't they? And without your driving to force them too," Deb commented.

"Look at them together, how can they not touch? They set off enough sparks together they need to sit away from the smoke detector," Michele chimed in.

Dana chortled. "Where did you hear that one?"

"Pop-up Blind Date," she replied easily.

"This is so much more romantic then that tawdry little show," Deb cried imperiously. "This is romance in its purest form. It leaves the hootchie mama's in their skin tight strapless dresses in the dust."

"You sure know a lot about that tawdry show Deb. I wonder why that is?" Julie questioned.

"I might have seen it once or twice when insomnia hit," Deb admitted reluctantly. "But this is nothing like that. Elizabeth a virgin bride, running off with the dangerous Jason … What?" She demanded when the ladies at the table began to laugh.

"Somehow I doubt Elizabeth is a virgin bride." Dana explained.

"She is wearing white." Deb replied stiffly.

"That doesn't mean anything, Michele wore white on her wedding day, and we all know she had fallen off that pedestal years earlier," Julie reminded her.

Michele leveled a glare at Julie. "Watch it Tones, you haven't even made it out of the gate."

"I never wanted to get married," Julie countered. "I like exploring my options."

Michele snorted. "Exploring right. More like no one asked."

Deb interrupted before Julie had a chance to retort. "I believe Elizabeth was brought up as a lady, I doubt she shares your colorful history, Michele." 

"Uh-oh," Dana mumbled.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean Deb?" Michele cried.

"I didn't mean it to be an insult Michele," Deb offered quickly, then went on and doomed herself. "It's just you spent a lot of time exploring your … options, long before you decided to marry Pete. And you have dove right back into those options since he died."

"And listen to Lady Deb here. I think that fermenting cherry routine of yours has gone to your head." Michele retorted.

Deb gasped and clutched a handkerchief to her mouth, while Julie and Dana smothered laughs.

"What do you…"

"Don't even try to act like some pristine virgin _Lady Deb_," Michele drawled. "We all know that that particular cherry was popped long before Mike ever left for Korea, in fact if I remember it correctly Mike wasn't even the cherry popper. So don't sit there and act all superior to me. I know you too well to buy that crap."

As if they were watching a tennis match, Dana and Julie turned to look at Deb awaiting her response.

"As usual your vulgarity shows your upbringing," Deb huffed. "It just proves my point that you wouldn't know a romantic type of love if it sat up and bit you on your oversized Double D ass."

Dana couldn't smother that laugh, but she tried to turn it into a cough when Michele glared at her.

"Mike and my love was pure, very much like the love I see developing between Elizabeth and Jason," Deb continued. "It is a once in a lifetime type of love, that is why there will never be anyone else in my life."

"Please," Michele laughed snidely at that remark. "We all know about you and Jerry the garbage man. Hell you are the hottest topic at the Piggly Wiggly."

"W-what?"

"Don't act so innocent _Lady Deb_ we all know how he just loves to take out your 'garbage.' In fact he loves it so much he's in your house for two hours a pop, like clockwork every Monday and Thursday," Michele leaned closer to her now fuming friend. "He must be very thorough in his work."

Deb blushed whether it was embarrassment or anger causing the flush the ladies didn't know. But it was a sure sign of danger ahead.

"Now look here Michele there's a few thing we need to get straight, so listen up. I'll speak slowly so I don't lose you…"

~*~*~*~

"What I'm trying to say is sometimes you have to hurt the people you care about," Jason finished finally.

"I can see that Jason, but this is a totally different situation. You did hurt Michael and Carly, but you did it because it was what was best for them. I hurt my fiancé, for no such noble reason. I hurt him for a selfish reason, because I was confused," Elizabeth replied.

"I don't think that's right. You want him to be happy, and a part of you realized that you weren't sure if you could be the one to make him happy for life. You would have hurt him even worse, if you had married him and then let all these doubts out," he countered. 

Talking to her about Carly and Michael had helped him. Some of the burden he had been carrying with him, was gone from his shoulders, and for that he was grateful. Grateful enough that he was willing to try to help her out of her own problems.

"That makes it sound like I made a conscious choice, I didn't do that, I just ran and I hurt him."

"Elizabeth the bottom line is, if you aren't happy he won't be either. Sure you might be able to fake it for a few months, but if he is your best friend like you say, he's going to pick up on your doubts sooner or later. If you went ahead and married him when you were having doubts, would he understand? Or would he be hurt worse, because you let him settle for the partial love you were offering?"

"How the hell am I supposed to answer that without sounding like the most selfish bitch in the world?" Elizabeth wailed before burying her face in her hands. "God now I feel worse, and I didn't think that was possible."

Jason studied her bowed head and had a flash of regret. With a sigh he pushed his chair back and got to his feet.

"Are you leaving?" Elizabeth's head flew up.

"How about we try something else to get your mind off things for awhile," he paused by her chair and held out his hand.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked the question even as she took his hand and let him pull her to her feet.

"Trust me," he said with a wicked smile.

~*~*~*~

"As entertaining as this is, Dana has run out of popcorn, so we will have to call tonight's contest a draw." Julie broke into the escalating verbal catfight.

"Back off Julie," Deb hissed. "This is a conversation that is long overdue."

"Deb," Dana tried this time.

"Can it North," Michele ordered. "Deb's on a roll showing her vast stupidity again."

"Shut up." Dana slammed her hand down on the table, stilling the conversation. "While you two ninnies have been caterwauling Jason and Elizabeth seemed to have disappeared."

"What?" Deb swiveled around to look. Ethel Merman and Jill Phelps now occupied the table they had been sitting at. Both women glared at the matchmaking four.

"Where did they go?" Michele asked. "Weren't you watching them?"

"It was a little hard to see through all the hot air you two were spewing," Julie commented dryly.

"There's Jason," Dana cried in relief, when she spotted a familiar looking spiky blonde head. "But I don't see Elizabeth anywhere."

"Oh dear, you don't think she left again do you?" Deb cried.

~*~*~*~

"Gram I think I'm falling for him." Elizabeth didn't bother to waste time with the pleasantries, she dove right into the problem.

__

"You've only just realized this?" Audrey asked.

"Gram I'm serious. I thought it was just a slight physical attraction, but then we talked, I mean we really talked, and I feel so drawn to him," perplexed she twisted the phone cord in her hand. "It doesn't make sense, I barely know him."

__

"It doesn't take long to fall, not when it is the right person." Audrey explained.

"But doesn't it make me seem fickle? Almost getting married in the morning and by nightfall, fantasizing about kissing another man?"

__

"So what if it makes you sound fickle. You can't live your life worrying what other people think of you. You have to make yourself happy first and foremost, because if you don't you are only fooling yourself if you think the people around you won't notice."

Elizabeth sighed when she heard the variation of what Jason had told her earlier. It was so simple for Jason and her Gram to offer her advice they weren't in her situation. They weren't the ones trying to make sense of her mixed up heart and head. "So you want me to have a quickie with a man whose last name I don't even know?"

__

"Elizabeth," Audrey cried sharply, briefly forgetting where she was, and the fact she wasn't alone. "You know me better then that." She swatted Sarah's hands with a newspaper when she tried to grab the phone. "Back off Sarah."

"Let me talk to Lizzie," Sarah cried. "I need to get her to come home."

"Sarah you're looking a little peaked, I think you should sit and have some more to drink," Audrey ordered keeping a firm grip on her cellphone.

"Oh god don't drug her again Gram, too many doses and she might become addicted," Elizabeth cried. "You know she has an addictive personality. Remember we had to get rid of cable when she got addicted to the Home Shopping Network and spent $25,000 in three days."

__

"I know," Audrey sighed in regret. "As tempting as it is I won't resort to that." Inspiration came and she backed away from Sarah and turned on the big screen TV in her hotel suite. Before Sarah could make another pitch to try to get the phone, Audrey had it on the home shopping channel and the blonde was soon transfixed. "Now where were we?"

Elizabeth could hear the TV in the background and merely shook her head. "Attraction is one thing Gram, but feelings are another. He told me some stuff tonight that makes me think of him as more then just a good-looking guy. I saw part of his heart tonight gram, and the part I saw was very appealing."

__

The longer her and Elizabeth spoke, the more convinced Audrey was that the wedding would never take place. She only hoped that Elizabeth would soon realize that as well. "So now instead of just being drawn to Jason physically you are drawn to him emotionally as well?"

"I guess so. But I'm still wearing my engagement ring, I still love him, and I always will. So how can I have these feelings for Jason?" 

__

"We don't pick who we care for Elizabeth. Life would be so much more simpler and boring if we could, so thank god we can't. You care for who you care for, there's no explaining the reasons, it just happens."

"But how can it happen in a few hours?" Elizabeth asked. "How can I believe in it then?"

~*~*~*~

Elizabeth came to a quick halt when a blurry shape stepped into the narrow hallway, blocking most of the light not to mention the exit. "Excuse me," she said when the shape remained where it was.

"Why did you fart pretty thing?"

She took a step back, fanning at the liquor fumes rolling off the man in front of her. "Cute, you want to move now?"

Move he did, unfortunately for her, he moved closer to her, belching all the way. "You're a fresh one aren't you?'

"At least one of us is fresh," she muttered, as she tried not to breath in the foul smelling odor coming off of him.

"I know you, you're the bride," Carl Phelps' bloodshot eyes finally gleamed in recognition.

"That's right and I need to get back to my husband. So I really need you to move now."

"You know what?" Carl belched the question, causing Elizabeth to press back into the bathroom door in an attempt to get away from him. "I haven't kissed the bride yet. That's the tradition, the bride always gets kissed."

"Over your dead body," Elizabeth snapped. "A task I will be most happy to take on, if you don't move your ass out of my way."

"Oh pucker up baby, you know you want a kiss," Carl pursed his lips and leaned closer to her.

"I'll give you a kiss alright," Elizabeth said sweetly. "Close your eyes honey."

Carl closed his eyes in anticipation of the sweetness of her kiss.

~*~*~*~

"Did you hear a scream?" Julie asked.

"Look," Dana cried, pointing excitedly. "There's Elizabeth." The others turned to look and saw Elizabeth walking back into the room, from the small hall that led to the bathrooms. She rolled her eyes in their direction then cut through the people to join Jason at the pool table.

"Oh look they are still together and they are playing pool," Deb cooed. "That's so sweet."

"She's practicing her stick handling ability," Michele murmured. "In preparation for another kind of action later tonight."

"Michele." Deb snapped.

"Mama," Carl Phelps wailed loudly causing the women to focus in his direction.

"What happened now?" Jill asked crossly.

"She hurt me," Carl whined walking awkwardly towards his mother. "I just wanted to kiss the bride and she hurt me."

"Carl don't rub your crotch in the middle of the room," Ethel ordered. "It's unbecoming."

"You would know all about that now wouldn't you Merman," Deb asked snidely.

"That bride was with your group wasn't she Michele?" Jill demanded. "Stay away from the Jezebel Carl, she is no doubt infected if she is friends with them."

"You're one to talk about infections, Phelps, you're down at the free clinic every week." Dana retorted.

Sighing Julie took a long sip of her drink and waited for the fun to start.

~*~*~*~

"We are not playing for money Jason. I only have so much, and I don't want to lose what I have," Elizabeth said quickly.

"Have you played before?"

"Yes, but not that often," she admitted. "But if it is the norm to pay for games, then I'll give it a try."

"We don't have too," Jason said quickly.

"Look are we playing partners or not?" The man at the table asked. "If she doesn't want to play I'm sure there are many others who will. She can just sit over there with the other girls and wait."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at that. "Rack'em, I'm already warmed up."

"I'll be right back, I'm going to get a refill, you want anything?" Jason asked.

"No," she smiled at him then moved over to the rack to find a cue. Her attention was caught by loud voices coming from where her four elderly friends were. From the looks of it, things were getting tense over there.

~*~*~*~

"Yeah the bride, she's changed her clothes, but it was the same girl who was in the truck," Carl said loudly to his friends. "She doesn't look like it but she is built. Her hooter's fit nicely in my hands."

"Like you'd know," one of his friends jeered, moving out of the way to let a guy through to the bar.

"I do know," Carl said indignantly. "She was all over me outside the bathroom a few minutes ago. Let me tell you that girl is so soft, she's going to give her hubby one hell of a work out tonight. That is if I don't get to her first."

"Copping a feel again. How many times do you want to be arrested for that?"

"I didn't cop a feel," Carl retorted, lying through his teeth he went on. "She was pressing herself all over me. If we hadn't been in a public place we would have done it right there by the payphone."

"Excuse me."

Carl turned and paled when he saw the tall, built man behind him, giving him a very cold glare. "Y-yes?"

"Are you talking about the woman who used to be wearing a wedding dress?" Jason asked coldly.

"Uh," he turned back to look at his friends, and realized he couldn't tell the truth now, or they would never believe him again. "Yes I am."

Jason narrowed his eyes and took a step closer.

~*~*~*~

"Having fun Elizabeth?" Dana asked.

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded. "Are the others okay?"

"Don't worry about that, it's just old baggage," Dana replied dismissively.

"Oh no," Elizabeth cried when she saw Jason talking to the guy who had accosted her in the hallway. "Excuse me," she called over her shoulder as she hurried for the bar.

Dana took a step after her, then came to a halt when a loud cry came from her right. She looked over in time to see Ethel Merman bring her crutch down hard on Deb's foot. Her eyes widened and she took a step in that direction. 

Again she was stopped by a loud noise, this time a cry coming from the bar area, she turned to look just in time to see Carl's fist connect with Elizabeth's jaw and see her stagger back into the table behind her then fall to the ground.

"Oh dear," she muttered just as all hell broke loose.


	7. Never Seen Blue Like That

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Disclaimer: Some are my creations, only 4 aren't.

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Feedback: PLEASE. It's the only payment I'll ever get.

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Bride on the Loose

Part VII

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~The Dance~

One minute Elizabeth was standing behind Jason trying to get his attention and the next she was laying sprawled half on the floor and half on a guy's lap. Jason heard her yelp in both pain and surprise, and saw red. He focused on a very pale looking Carl and unloaded a jab to his unprotected and flabby gut.

Carl grunted in pain and hunched over, while Jason plowed a fist across Carl's jaw. Carl's eyes swam and he went down hard, his chin connecting with a table as he swooned. The table tipped sharply then broke under his weight. The drinks that were on the table flew up and splattered on the people around them.

Jason turned back towards Elizabeth, and hurried to her side. He pulled her off the man's lap with a glare and was relieved to see she was conscious, but dazed. "Are you okay?"

She brought her hand up to her throbbing cheek and nodded slowly. "What happened?"

"You didn't duck," Jason explained.

"Oh," she focused on him, and her eyes widened when movement over his shoulder caught her eye. "Watch out."

Thanks to her warning Jason was tensed and prepared when someone grabbed his shoulder, and yanked him to his feet. From the corner of his eye he saw Elizabeth slump back on the ground, but was helpless to prevent it. He barely had time to brace himself before a fist plowed into his gut. He blocked the next punch and followed with one of his own, then tripped over a still unconscious Carl as he went after the hitter.

~*~*~*~

A myriad of voices screamed out the word fight and Michele gave a shriek of pure glee, before launching herself at Jill Phelps. Years of absolute hate. Hate that had begun way back in nursery school, had festered long enough, and exploded out of her, and onto Jill.

"What's the matter Deb did I ruffle your petticoat?" Ethel Merman jeered grinding the tip of her crutch into Deb's foot.

Now Deb had always considered herself a lady. As such she always tried to behave in a manner that was above reproach. But there came a time in every woman's life when it was time to take the gloves off and roll around in the muck with the rest of them. This was just such a time. With considered movements, she formed a fist, taking special care to keep her thumb out of the middle and unloaded a jab on Ethel's surprised and very big nose.

Dana gasped at Deb's action and paused long enough to give her a clap in reward, before she swung her overflowing canvas bag in the face of a yelling cowboy. Her Avon catalogs and samples went flying as the sweet smell of Emeraude drifted around the bar.

A quick glance at the two distinct fights that were gradually being merged into one table clearing, chair breaking battle, as more and more people got involved, confirmed to Julie that it was time to take a step back and enjoy the show. She sidestepped a flying barstool, picked up her drink and a stray bowl of popcorn and began weaving her way to the bar. She wanted to get a good seat before the show really got going.

~*~*~*~

"Duck Jason," Elizabeth yelled.

Obeying instinctively he ducked and pivoted in the same motion, he felt the whoosh of air as a fist went flying past his head. Still crouched he brought his fist up into the man's flab and drove him back several feet with the impact.

His experienced eyes scanned the crowd, he had been in enough fights to know that it would soon be out of control. Judging from the looks of glee on some of the people's faces, fights like this must be a weekly occurrence. His only thought at that moment was to get Elizabeth away from the fight before it got out of hand, or before she got hurt worse. He already hated the fact that she had been hit at all. 

His eye fell on a still unconscious Carl, and he barely resisted an impulse to kick the man's flabby side. Instead he looked for Elizabeth, his eyes widened in surprise when he found her smashing a beer bottle over the head of a cowboy, then shove him away from her when he staggered.

Jason shook his head and hurried to her side, when she turned her back on the still conscious and angrily advancing cowboy. He intercepted the man before he could reach her gave him a shot to a jaw that sent the man staggering away. When he was sure that the cowboy wasn't coming back he turned and touched Elizabeth's shoulder. She whirled around her fist flailing and he caught it easily before it could connect with his body. "We're leaving."

"Now?" She demanded her eyes alight with merriment. "But this is fun. I've never been in a bar fight. Can't we stay a little longer?"

Ignoring her question he took a firm hold of her hand and began to lead her to the door. "Whatever you do, do not let go of me."

"Jason…" the rest of her words were lost when she was shoved hard from behind and crashed heavily into Jason. "Maybe we should go," she agreed stepping over a still unconscious Carl. She didn't feel any regret when her heel came down on his hand, but Carl groaned anyway.

Jason heard the groan and turned in time to see her grind her heel a little more firmly into Carl's hand. With a shake of his head, he pulled on her hand to keep her close beside him, then began weaving through the gyrating bodies to the door.

"Jason wait." Elizabeth cried when they had reached the door, and he kept moving. "What about the ladies? We can't leave them alone in this," she gestured to the fight that had taken over the whole bar and dance floor by now. "They're old, they could get hurt."

"I know." Jason agreed and turned back to scan the fight looking for the women. He found Dana first, she was a little hard to miss. She was on top of the pool table, using the pool cue to poke people in the back of the head. Judging from the grin on her face she loved every minute of her high sticking adventure.

Elizabeth pointed out Michele next. She was on the back of a very large woman in a pink dress that resembled a tent. It looked like Michele was doing her very best to rip out the other woman's hair, and was screaming like a banshee while she did.

Deb was the next one they spied and even Jason was a little surprised at her actions. She was grinding Ethel Merman's face into a plate of what looked like sauerkraut. While they were watching she yanked Ethel's face up and moved another plate underneath her then shoved her face back down. 

It was her expression that caused Elizabeth to laugh. It was as placid as any Sunday school teacher's would be, she even had her white gloves on. Her eyes met Jason and he shook his head in disbelief. "Let's go."

"Wait what about Julie?"

"She's at the bar," Jason pointed her out.

Elizabeth followed his hand and saw Julie sitting on the bar, a drink with an umbrella in one hand, and a handful of popcorn in the other. Julie saw them looking in her direction and she tipped her drink at them with a smile. Jason pointed to the door behind them, and Julie nodded and waved them off.

~*~*~*~

Elizabeth was still laughing when they stopped in a courtyard across the street from where the dinner and dance was being held. The sounds of the fighting, still drifted around them. "Did you see their faces? It was like they were having the time of their lives. I wonder if they do this every Saturday night. If so you would think they wouldn't get so dressed up," she shook her head. "I need to introduce my Gram to them, I think they would get along great."

Jason had a feeling that the ladies weren't the only ones who were having the time of their lives. Visible even in the moonlight and dim streetlamps was her glowing face. Even in the dark he could see her eyes were wide and sparkling in life, and laughter. She seemed to have gotten as big a thrill out of the fight, as she had the first time they had ridden the bike together. The only problem he saw was the vibrant slash of red on her jaw. That red was enough to drain the smile from his face.

"Does it hurt?" He asked seriously.

"Does what hurt?" She asked in confusion.

"Your face," he moved closer and lightly touched the bruise on her jaw that Carl's errant punch had caused. "Does it hurt?"

"No," she swallowed hard when her pulse jumped at his touch. "Not really." Especially when he was looking at her that way, not to mention touching her. She wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling, but it sure wasn't pain.

"I hate that you got hurt, you shouldn't have. I'm sorry you were," he murmured softly, his thumb still stroking the softness of her skin.

"Why are you apologizing?" She asked searching his eyes. "You didn't hit me, it was that idiot, and even he wasn't aiming for me."

"If I had known you were behind me, I never would have ducked," Jason told her.

"If you hadn't dodged his punch you would have been the one sprawled on the ground not me," she saw his raised eyebrow and reconsidered. "Okay so you probably wouldn't have fallen, Carl didn't have that much power," she rubbed at her jaw, dislodging his hand. "For that I'm grateful."

"That brings up another point," he moved closer still. "Why didn't you tell me he attacked you when you went to the bathroom?"

She flushed guiltily and tried to look away, but it was impossible. "I wouldn't call what he did an attack," she hedged finally. When he didn't say anything, only continued to stare at her, she knew it wasn't enough. "It was more like an unwanted pass. I've been deflecting those on my own for years now. I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Elizabeth he was touching you," he reminded her coldly. His blood still raged when he remembered where Carl had said he touched her.

"No he didn't," she cried insulted. "Do you think I would let him touch me? He moved in to kiss me, and his groin met my knee, he went down just like that." She finished with a snap of her fingers.

Jason sighed in relief at that. "You still should have told me."

"I didn't think you would want to know," she admitted quietly. "You don't want to get anymore involved with me, then you have too."

"I am involved," he reminded her.

"But you don't want to be," she tried to find his eyes again, but they were hidden in the shadows. "You haven't said it aloud, but you don't want to be involved."

"You're right," he admitted. "But I am involved. And the truth is, I wouldn't change that even if I could," he looked away when he heard the sirens of approaching police cars. Instinct had him taking her hand and leading Elizabeth deeper into the courtyard away from the police, he paused finally beside an old gazebo.

"Do you not like the police?" A slightly out of breath Elizabeth asked when they stopped.

"No." Jason replied briefly, keeping his eyes trained on the path they had just traveled.

A prickle of unease went through her, she tried to banish it, but couldn't, not until she asked. "You're not wanted by the police are you?"

Her tone, more than the question drew his attention back to her. "No, I'm not wanted by the police."

She let out a breath in relief and moved inside the gazebo to lean against the rail.

"Shouldn't you have asked me that a long time ago?" He asked with a wry smile as he followed her.

"Probably," she shrugged. "Better late then never I guess."

"You should be more careful," the irritation he felt at her cavalier manner was evident in his voice.

"I'm not stupid Jason. I know hitching is risky. But I also knew, from the moment I met you that you wouldn't hurt me," she explained simply.

"You knew that?" He asked doubtfully.

His voice came from right behind her and she jolted slightly when she felt his breath in her hair. "Yeah. I knew that even though you were capable of violence, you wouldn't direct it at me."

"How did you know?" He asked curiously.

She turned to face him and automatically sucked in a breath at his nearness. "Your eyes," she whispered. "I could read your soul in your blue eyes."

The sounds of fighting and sirens had faded. Now the only noise that drifted to them, was the strands of music, as the band began to play again, and the night music around them.

Emboldened by his close proximity she reached up and touched his face. "Your eyes give you away Jason. No matter how cold they get, I can still see compassion in them." Finishing she ran a finger lightly over his lips.

"Elizabeth," her name came out on a groan. He knew he should walk away right now, but couldn't. Instead he shifted closer until she was pinned between the rail of the gazebo and his body.

__

Today I took a walk up the street,

And picked a flower and climbed the hill, 

Above the lake.

"Shh Jason," she murmured slipping her arms around his neck. "You're not the only one who doesn't want to get involved."

__

And secret thoughts were said aloud, 

We watched the faces in the clouds,

Until the clouds had blown away.

His hands moved to her waist, drawing her closer until she was resting against him. "I think it's too late, for us not to get involved."

__

And were we ever somewhere else?

You know, it's hard to say.

"I think you're right," she agreed and searched his eyes as they began to sway to the sound of the music that was drifting towards them.

__

And I never saw blue like that before,

Across the sky,

Across the world,

You've given me all you have and more.

And no one else has ever shown me how,

To see the world the way I see it now.

His hands seemed to have a mind of their own, and moved lower, pressing her more intimately against him while he brought his lips down to drop kisses over her face. One touch led to another, and another, as he strove to learn every nuance of her face.

__

I can't believe a month ago,

I was alone, I didn't know you,

I hadn't seen or heard your name.

And even now, I'm so amazed,

It's like a dream, it's like a rainbow, its' like the rain.

His lips barely touched her skin, yet she could feel the impact coursing through her. It didn't make sense that he could make her feel so much, with a bare whisper of a caress, but he could. Her hands locked on his shoulders, and her head fell back, giving his mouth easier access to her throat.

__

And some things are the way they are

And words just can't explain.

Their mouths met, lightly at first, a sweet caress, that hinted at the passion bubbling just below the surface. Someone moaned and that triggered a change in the intensity of the kiss. Sweetness faded into the passion that raced unchecked between their bodies.

__

And I never saw blue like that before,

Across the sky,

Across the world,

You've given me all you have and more.

And no one else has ever shown me how,

To see the world the way I see it now.

Oh I, I never saw blue like that before.

This wasn't a first kiss of learning what the other liked, how they tasted. It wasn't a kiss to prove a point. This was a kiss born out of need and desire, and it soon consumed them both.

__

And it feels like now,

And it feels always,

And it feels like coming home.

"Jason," she said thickly when his mouth left hers to trail kisses along her jaw. She couldn't help but press herself more fully into his hardness.

"I know," he nipped at her ear, causing her to groan. "We should stop."

"Yes we should," Elizabeth agreed. Yet she turned her head and her mouth sought his out again.

__

And I never saw blue like that before,

Across the sky,

Across the world,

You've given me all you have and more.

And no one else has ever shown me how,

To see the world the way I see it now.

Oh I, I never saw blue like that before.

His hand found it's way under the soft fabric of her sweater until he found her heated skin. With every passing second it was getting harder and harder for him to remember where they were. Every sound she made, made him want her more and more. He felt an almost loss of control, because of desire, and he had never felt that way before.

__

Oh I, I never saw blue like that before.

"If you two kids want to take this any further, I suggest that you take it back to the hotel, and one of the two rooms you have available to you." A masculine voice came out of the darkness and startled them both.

Jason immediately broke the kiss, and turned his head to find the speaker, he instinctively shielded Elizabeth from the man's view. He was a little unsettled to realize that someone had been able to sneak up on him. He didn't like that realization. Being caught unaware was a good way to get killed.

A match flared and Jason used it to pinpoint the man's position. He stiffened when the glow of the cigar the man was puffing away on illuminated a Sheriff's badge. "Sorry," he said stiffly. "We'll leave."

Jason turned back to Elizabeth, who with her swollen lips and messed hair, looked about as dazed as he felt. Even with a cop standing a few feet away from him the sight of her staring up at him through desire filled eyes nearly undid him. "Come on," he hid his reaction by speaking gruffly.

Mutely she nodded and slipped her hand in his when he offered it.

"Ma'am." The Sheriff stepped into the light and blocked their path. "You have a real safe night now. Don't do anything foolish, like forgetting who you are," he glanced at Jason, "or who you're with."

"Right," still dazed she let go of Jason's hand, moved past the Sheriff and out of the gazebo.

Before Jason could follow her, the Sheriff moved again. "You did a real good job getting her out of that fight before she could get hurt," he tapped Jason's chest and lowered his voice. "Don't hurt her now, by doing something she isn't ready for."

Jason eyed the older man coolly. "Are you finished?"

The older man's eyes were shrewd and they studied Jason. "This is my town boy, you'll get your bike fixed in the morning, and soon you and the lady will be gone. I just want you to really think about what can happen tonight. She did come into this town, wearing a wedding dress, and somehow, judging from the way she left you at the garage, the two rooms at the hotel, you're not the groom."

Jason gave no indication whether he heard the older man's warning.

With a sigh the Sheriff moved out of the gazebo. "Ma'am," he tipped his hat to her before moving towards the street. "Stay smart now."

Elizabeth watched him leave with a slight smile on her face. "Don't you just love small towns? They are places where everyone knows everything about everyone else, and aren't shy about giving you their opinion."

Jason rubbed at the tension in his neck, tension that the sight of the police had caused. Tension that had only increased, when he had heard the man's very timely warning. He looked up when a flash of lightning lit the sky. "We better get back to the hotel, before we get rained on," without thinking he held out his hand to her and waited.

Elizabeth hesitated for a long moment, then bracing herself for contact, she took his hand. The jolt was even more powerful this time around. _Stay smart now._ She had a sinking feeling that she had stopped being smart hours ago.

~*~*~*~

The walk to the hotel had been made in complete silence, and the tension had grown with each step they took. Nerves normally made Elizabeth talk about anything and everything. But this time the nerves seemed to have frozen her vocal cords into silence. The lobby was deserted when they entered the old hotel, the faint sounds of a game show and a snore, came from behind a purple curtain, and they moved quietly past it to the stairs.

She let go his hand to pull out her key when they neared the door. She was so relieved to get there, that she didn't even wonder how he knew which one was hers. 

Her hand shook slightly and Jason took the key and inserted it in her lock for her, and opened the door slightly before stepping back. "I'm across the hall if you need something."

She nodded and being careful not to touch him she moved past him into the doorway. She was glad he hadn't pressed her on what had just happened. She knew that if he had, or if he had touched her again, and she would be ready to pick up where they had left off. She had a feeling he knew that as well, because he was very careful to give her space.

"Goodnight Elizabeth," Jason said quietly before making his way to his own door. He had his key in the lock before he realized that he hadn't heard her door close. He turned to look and saw her right where he had left her. "Is something wrong?"

"No," she fiddled with the key and refused to meet his eyes. "Yes," she shook her head. "I don't know," she cried out suddenly. "I don't know what I'm doing Jason. With every minute I feel more and more out of control. 24 hours ago I was thinking about getting married, and I didn't even know you existed," she sucked in a breath. "Now a day later, not only am I not married, I can't get you out of my mind. I'm craving your kisses, and your touch," she ran a weary hand through her hair. "And the worst part is I don't even know your whole name."

"Do you want to know?"

"Don't interrupt," she ordered beginning to pace. "I keep telling myself that this is just an attraction, between two adults. That this attraction is probably based on the stress that I have been under, or the craziness of the day. Or maybe due to the fact that you are a gorgeous man, who makes my breath hitch. I tell myself that this is just temporary insanity on my part, or last minute jitters."

__

"Let yourself live Elizabeth."

Audrey's words came back to her, and she waved them away. "Or maybe it's based on simple curiosity. I've only ever been with my fiancé. Hell I've only kissed three men in my life that's including you," she cried sourly. "Maybe I'm looking at you as my last chance to experience someone new, before I get married."

__

"Elizabeth when you ran from the church today you didn't even know Jason existed. You ran on your own."

She came to a halt in the doorway. "I tell myself those things, I try to convince myself I believe them. But it's all a lie. I feel all of these things for you, because of you. I'm very attracted to you, and I don't why, I don't know how it happened so quickly."

__

"It doesn't take long to fall, not when it is the right person."

"I'm attracted to you so much that my stomach clenches every time you look at me, and it drops to my knees when you touch me. And this is why I am standing in the hall of a dingy hotel at midnight, babbling like an idiot, trying to explain why I like you," she finished defiantly. "There you have it honestly. And let me tell you honesty sucks."

Had he really thought he could walk away from her unscathed? He crossed the hall separating them and framed her face in his hand, forcing her to look up. "Look at me," he requested and waited.

Elizabeth gave a long-suffering sigh and opened her eyes slowly.

"I like you too Elizabeth."

Her smile bloomed at her words, then turned into a frown. "Jesus were a mess, neither one of us wants this, yet we can't stop," Elizabeth grumbled before standing on her toes and pressing her lips to his.

There was no holding back this time, for either one of them. His hands never left her face as he backed her into the darkened room. He kicked the door shut with his foot, then broke the kiss long enough for her to pull his shirt off and drop it on the floor.

The back of her knees hit the mattress and she toppled backwards on the bed, thanks to her hold on his hips she brought him down with her. Jason braced his weight on one arm, so he didn't crush her. But she wanted none of that. She wanted to feel all of him so she tugged hard on his hips until he collapsed on top of her.

Their lips rarely broke contact, it seemed like they were trying to drink in each other. A simple taste wasn't enough this time. They needed to steep themselves in each other. Her stomach muscles quivered when she felt his calloused hand on her bare skin. He slid the sweater up her chest, until the edge of her bra was showing.

He hesitated, his eyes searching hers. She brought her hand up to his cheek, giving the slight stubble there a slight flirtatious rub, and he knew she wasn't going to stop him. He slid a finger under the tight material, and touched the soft flesh there. Elizabeth's head fell back and she let out a sigh, at the feel of his touch on her.

"Jason," his name came out in a husky voice. A voice that she had never even heard before.

He closed his teeth over her breast, causing her to groan and writhe when he tantalized the sensitive point through the satin of her bra. She fisted both hands in his hair and drew him back up, seeking his mouth.

But he resisted the pull, and instead trailed his lips over the skin exposed by the V-neck of her sweater, then trailed his lips up her throat, over her jaw, and nibble slightly at her bottom lip. The lip she had mangled at times throughout the day. One taste and he knew why she continually nibbled on it. One taste of the sinful sensation had him wanting more.

"Jason," she moaned as he continued to tease. "Kiss me." She almost wept in relief when he claimed her mouth for a long mind-numbing kiss that left her trembling. Her hands roved his body, touching the muscles that had teased her all day. His skin was hot to the touch, and the muscles seemed to quiver under her touch. The thought of him feeling as out of control as she was very heady to realize, and power she realized very quickly could be addicting.

Jason's hand moved down the tight skin of her stomach, then lower to the snap of her pants. His mouth left hers to cruise over her throat again, his fingers was working on releasing the snap when he felt her tense. She didn't stop touching him, or push him away, but he felt the tension in her, and knew immediately it wasn't from nerves. He brought his head back up to search her eyes for a long moment before meeting her mouth with his own for one last soulful kiss. She kissed him back, her tongue sliding into the warmth of his mouth, but the tension in her remained.

With a sigh he broke the kiss and rolled off of her, until he was resting by her side. He kept his eyes closed, and moving his hands so he wasn't touching her he tried to regulate his breathing. 

"I'm s…"

"Don't," he ordered shortly. "Don't say it."

Overwhelmed she blinked at the sudden rush of tears in her eyes, grateful for the darkness she scrubbed them away. "I have too Jason. I started this mad dance between us, and I shut you down with no warning."

"You have a right to say no at anytime Elizabeth. No matter who you are with, you get to change your mind." He sat up and looked for his shirt. Spying it on the floor he got up and moved towards it. 

"It's not fair to you,"

"I decide what's fair for me," he tugged the shirt over his head. "Look you've been honest with me from the beginning Elizabeth. You told me repeatedly that you were confused, that you loved your fiancé that you didn't know what you were doing. I knew that and I kissed you anyway. I can't get mad at you for changing your mind."

If anything his understanding was making her feel even worse, she sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. "But you're the one who stopped not me."

He smothered a groan at her words. They were an admission that all he would have to do was kiss her, and her hesitation would be forgotten. One kiss and they could be back on the bed. He needed to get out of the room, before he did just that. "Goodnight Elizabeth."

"I meant what I said Jason. I do like you," she stayed on the bed and watched him hesitate at the door. He hesitated but didn't turn to look, perhaps that was what gave her the courage to go on. "If I didn't like you so much, I would take what you were offering and drag you back to this bed, and finish what I both know we want."

He rested his head against the door, when his body reacted to her softly spoken, but powerful words.

"But I won't because I do care for you, more then I should," she forced herself to go on, "and you're right I do love my fiancé, too much, to betray him like this."

That was too much for Jason, he opened the door and left quickly, not giving into the temptation to look back at her. He was in his room and heading for the shower, before he let the first curse fly.

~*~*~*~

__

"Elizabeth do you have any idea what time it is?" Audrey asked groggily.

"It's late," she said weakly. "Too late all around I guess."

__

She heard the sadness in Elizabeth's voice and sat up, turning the light on in concern. "What happened?"

"Do you believe in love at first sight? Or is it really only lust at first sight, and we pretty it up, by calling it love?"

__

Oh boy, Audrey sighed before replying. "Yes I believe in love at first sight. I believe that there are certain people, that when they meet, a part of their soul recognizes the other, and your heart opens to receive them much faster then it would normally."

Elizabeth snorted in disbelief, and brushed at the tears slipping from her eyes. "You've been married five times and you believe that? Which one was love at first sight then?"

__

Audrey was a little stung by the question, but she answered none the less. "All but your grandfather was a match made mostly at first sight."

"I don't understand how that can be. If your soul recognizes its soul mate how can you do it 4 other times? You have 4 soul mates in life?"

__

"I said the soul recognizes the others heart. The heart is such a big organ it can love in so many ways. Each one as strong as the other, as long as it has met its match. There are four chambers in the heart, Elizabeth, maybe there is a soul mate for each chamber."

"Gram," she couldn't help but smile through her tears at that. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't want to hurt anyone, but all I seem to be able to do is hurt the people I care the most about. My fiancé, you," she sniffed. "Jason."

__

"But most of all you hurt yourself Elizabeth," Audrey shifted on the bed and pulled her wallet out from under the pillow trying to get comfortable. The downside of distracting Sarah with the home shopping network was that she'd had to hide the credit cards.

"I don't count. I just don't want to hurt anyone else."

__

"What about you Elizabeth? Do you believe in love at first sight? Is that why you are calling, because you're afraid your feeling it for Jason?"

"Of course not," she cried desperately. "I don't believe in that sort of nonsense. Love takes time, you have to get to know the person, it's ridiculous to think you can fall in love with someone after only a few hours."

__

"Really? But I thought you fell in love with your fiancé, the first time you saw him." Audrey reminded her.

"God Gram I was 15 years old. What does a 15 year-old know about love? Sure you can talk a good game, but the only thing you know is what you see on TV and read in books, and none of that is realistic." Once started the words began to tumble out. "I hadn't even lived yet. I didn't know what next week would bring much less, next year. So how could I realistically believe I would be with one guy for the rest of my life? Jesus I was still living at home. You don't even fully grow up until you live by yourself."

__

"You swore that it was true love, and you would be together forever."

"So I'm supposed to live half a life because of some promise I made when I was 15 and thought I knew everything about love, when in fact I didn't have a clue?" Elizabeth exploded. "I'm supposed to bind myself to another person because of a promise I made to myself and my first love. A promise that I grew out of? Is that what I'm supposed to do?"

__

"Darling do you hear yourself?" Audrey asked softly.

"I…I," she choked on a sob. "Oh god Gram what am I going to do?"

~*~*~*~

Jason had given up all pretense of sleeping and was leaning against the window when he heard a knock on the door. With a groan of protest he looked towards the door. He wasn't sure if he could handle another run-in with Elizabeth tonight. The last encounter had just about done him in.

"Jason?"

He heard her muffled voice call his name, and made his way to the door. Taking a deep breathe to brace himself he opened the door. "Is there a problem?" The cool question turned into one of genuine concern when he saw her red tearstained face.

"What time do you have to be at the garage tomorrow to fix your bike?" Elizabeth asked.

"8:00 am, the owner said he'd meet me there."

"How long will it take you to fix it?"

"An hour tops," he studied her in concern. "Are you alright?"

"When you get your bike fixed, can you give me a ride?" Ignoring his question she kept her eyes trained on the wall over his right shoulder.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Home," she whispered. "I need to go home. I can't run away and hide anymore," she met his eyes then. "Will you take me home please?"

"Yes," he agreed immediately even though he felt his heart drop at her words.

"I'll meet you in the lobby at 7:45 then okay?"

He nodded and once she saw it she turned on her heel and went back to her room. Hearing her door close, inspired him to shut his own. He moved slowly back to the window and gazed out at the night stars. It seemed she finally knew what she wanted. 

And it wasn't him.

~*~*~*~

__

Song Credit: Never Saw Blue Like That by Shawn Colvin


	8. Hello, Goodbye

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Disclaimer: They aren't mine, well some aren't.

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Feedback: It doesn't take that much to drop me a line to say I loved it or I hated it, does it?

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Bride on the Loose

Part VIII

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~Morning~

"Thanks for opening on a Sunday, Mr. O'Day. We really needed to get back on the road today." Jason addressed the wide-bellied man whose left eye was swollen shut.

"No problem. After the fun at the dance last night, most of us are getting a late start anyway." Hiram O'Day leaned against the giant-sized and aged cash register. "Besides, between you, me, and the lamppost, the last place I wanted to be this morning is beside Mother when she wakes up." He tutted and shook his head. "She got caught in the crossfire between Cott and Phelps, it took her nearly three Whiskey Sours to take the sting out of that altercation. Who Hoo it was a beauty of a fight last night wasn't it?"

Jason had never considered a fight a beautiful thing but he didn't say that to the older man who had yet to turn over the part he needed for the bike.

"You and your lady were right in the thick of things weren't you?" Hiram went on. "In fact you two kind of started it, well you started it the same time the Phelps woman did," he scratched his jaw. "In fact it was a Phelps on both sides wasn't it?"

"I guess? Can I have my part?" Jason asked.

"Sure," Hiram nodded but didn't hand it over. "I'm sorry that your lady got hit. That wasn't right, of course young Phelps has never been right in the head. Most people blame his father for that, his pappy was a bit touched in the head, ever since the war. But I think his mama has a lot to do with it as well." He laughed and finally put the part on the counter. "Of course I'll never say that to her. Or my wife, they're friends, don't ya know?"

Jason nodded slightly and picked up the part, before moving towards the door. Curious he stopped and turned back. "Do fights like the one last night happen very often?"

Hiram scratched his chin and rested his prosthetic foot on the barstool behind the counter. "Nope not really, we only get good ones like that about every four months or so. Most weekends it's just your typical, drunken you've been cheating at cards fight. But when the ladies get involved? Woo Hoo that's when it's fun." He grinned showing off his gold-capped front tooth and pointed towards it. "See this?"

Jason nodded.

"Dana North knocked out my tooth with a pool cue about 4 years ago. That was the best fight. She was under the delusion that Mario Lemieux is a god when it comes to hockey and she didn't take to well to me correcting her mistake. Why anyone with a half a brain knows that Wayne Gretzky is so much better then that overweight wannabe," Hiram began to get fired up again. "She decided to practice her standard high sticking technique on me. Darn fool woman."

"Right." Unsure of who the old man was talking about Jason let the subject drop. "Thanks again," he called before heading towards his bike.

His steps faltered when Elizabeth turned around to face him. The early morning sun was filtering through her hair, setting the shining curls off. The light made her ivory cheeks glow slightly giving her a very striking, if fragile allure. The only problem he saw was the dark circles that stood out under her eyes. Those dark circles along with the bruise on her chin, showed her sleeplessness night. He had a feeling that the punch she had received last night wasn't what had kept her up last night.

"Did you get it?"

"Yes," he answered briefly and unfortunately for him when he brushed past her, the sweet scent of her hair came with him. 

"How long do you think it will take?" Elizabeth asked when he crouched by the bike.

"A half an hour, maybe less if you let me work." Jason answered shortly, a little upset at her haste to get back on the road, to get back home, and away from him.

"Fine," stung Elizabeth retreated until she was about 10 feet away from the man and the bike.

Jason's eyes followed her movements and he was tempted to call after her and apologize, but in the end he didn't. He wasn't going to open himself up to her anymore. Even he had some self-preservation instincts and though they may be late in arriving, they were finally there and kicking in. Decision made, he tore his eyes from her stiff back and focused on his bike.

~*~*~*~

"Why there you are. I was afraid we might have missed you," Deb called out loudly, startling Elizabeth. "Some of us," she glared at a wincing Julie, "got a late start."

"There's no need to shout," Julie said quietly, pushing the sunglasses higher up on her nose. "She's right in front of you."

"Yes, but Deb wants to make sure that you hear her as well." Dana cried loudly smacking Julie on the shoulder.

Recognizing the signs of a hangover Elizabeth eyed Julie with sympathy and changed the subject. "How are you all this morning? I was a little worried with the fight last night. I'm sorry we left you alone, but Jason wanted to leave."

"Of course he wanted to leave. He wanted to get you out of there before you got hurt even worse. Oh dear you do have a bruise don't you?" Deb clucked and reached out and lightly grasped Elizabeth's chin to check out the bruise.

"It's okay it'll fade," Elizabeth said dismissively. She kind of liked her wound. It was a badge of honor in memory of the one and only fight she had been in.

"I'm sure Jason hated the fact that you were hurt," Julie offered looking over at Jason, who, other than a grunt hadn't acknowledged their presence.

"He didn't like it," Elizabeth admitted softly looking over at him. "You're missing one," she said brightly changing the subject. "Where's Michele? She didn't get hurt did she?"

Julie snorted over that suggestion. "No she didn't get hurt, she got lucky."

"Julie." Deb cried giving her a warning glare. "She's just running late today."

"I doubt she's running anywhere," Dana muttered, "more like she's…" she trailed off when Deb gave her an icy look. "She's late."

Elizabeth eyed the women critically, other than Julie they looked just as they had yesterday when she met them. Right down to the white lace gloves on Deb's hands. It was a little ironic that Julie, who hadn't been in the fight, was the only one that looked worse for wear. "How is Ethel Merman today?"

"I wouldn't know," Deb answered breezily. "She never could hold her liquor. Last night she passed out in the sauerkraut," she shook her head, "disgraceful."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, but before she could say anything she caught sight of Dana who was frantically shaking her head behind Deb. "Isn't it though," she agreed awkwardly.

"Hiya handsome," Michele called out loudly startling Jason enough that he dropped a bolt he was trying to fasten. "Oops sorry," she offered a grin. "I'll just join the others." She said when he continued to glare at her.

"Well look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," Julie said snarkily. "What happened did his Viagra run out?"

"Jealous much Tones?" Michele countered. "Isn't it just a grand day?" She asked spreading her arms out wide and jostling Julie. "So bright, and sunny, and beautiful. It might be the last good day this year, we should go to the lake and enjoy the sun reflecting off the water, or better yet get a boat."

"Michele," Deb began in warning.

Michele put her arm around Julie's shoulder. "Just imagine all of us on the boat, with nothing but the cool breeze and the gentle rocking of the boat by the waves," she shifted bringing Julie with her. "Just swaying in the breeze."

"Oh god," Julie muttered clutching her stomach.

"Knock it off evil one," Dana ordered. "Or she might make a deposit on your nice clean white shoes."

Michele quickly dropped her arm and backed off a step.

"Really Michele how trashy, white after Labor Day? When will you learn?" Deb asked.

Elizabeth smothered a grin, it was certainly entertaining being in the company of these ladies. She really needed to get their addresses so she could introduce her Gram to them. They would definitely have a lot in common.

"So where are you two off to today?" Deb asked loudly trying to distract Elizabeth's attention from Michele who had begun to whisper to the other women.

"I'm telling the truth Bud said he saw them kissing in the park, if he hadn't interrupted when he did, he could have arrested them for indecent exposure," Michele whispered hurriedly.

"I hope you let him have it for interrupting them, after all the work we did getting those two to kiss, I hate to think that the Sheriff ruined it," Deb whispered back.

"Oh I bet she let him have it alright, repeatedly I'd imagine," Julie murmured dryly. "You do see the canary grin don't you? She won't be worth being around for at least 2 weeks after last night."

"Quiet," Dana hissed. "What is Elizabeth saying?"

"Actually," Elizabeth continued. "Jason is taking me back home."

"Home?" Julie repeated, surprise evident on her face.

"I couldn't have heard her correctly, damn hearing aid," Deb pulled the hearing aid out of her ear. "Now tell me that again?"

"I said he is taking me back home. I'm an adult, and much too old to run away from home, so I need to go back," Elizabeth explained simply. "We'll be leaving as soon as he gets the bike fixed."

"But you can't." Michele cried out loudly.

Dana quickly covered Michele's mouth. "What she means to say is you seemed so unhappy yesterday when you thought about going home. Don't you think your rushing things a bit?"

"Right," Julie picked up the thread. "I'm sure Jason won't mind if you two stay around here for the rest of the day."

Elizabeth looked over at Jason who had barely said five words to her since they had met in the lobby. "Somehow I doubt that," she said a little mournfully, before focusing on the sad looking women in front of her. "No it's time to go home. My little adventure is over."

Deb finally found her voice and waded into the fray. "An adventure, is that what you think this was?"

Jolted at the sharp tone Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Yes."

"I think it would be more appropriate to call a journey of self-discovery wouldn't you?" Deb continued. 

"I-I suppose," Elizabeth agreed weakly, Deb's school-marmish tone, left little room for argument.

The other women were equally struck dumb at the moment. It was extremely unusual for Lady Deb to talk like this.

Deb nodded at Elizabeth's agreement. "As such you shouldn't be so quick to close the door on what you have discovered about yourself, or in a rush to end your journey. You're young and I know you think you have your whole life in front of you. And I suppose you're right. But I can tell you from bitter experience, that if you spend most of your time letting life happen to you, instead of racing to meet it head on, you will regret it," her voice grew wistful. "I had a chance to live life once, and that scared me. It scared me enough that I clung to memories and ideals, and I let life pass me by. You don't want to wake up and find yourself to be 68 years old and talking to a young girl on the cusp of her life, trying to convince her not to do what you did all those years ago. I let life pass me by instead of grabbing onto it with both hands. You need to trust me when I say that doing that can make you very bitter."

Stunned Elizabeth didn't know what to say, judging from the expressions on the other women's faces, neither did they.

"Don't get so stuck in doing what is right for everyone else, that you forget to do what is right for you," Deb finished quietly.

"Are you ready Elizabeth?"

Jason's unexpected question jarred all the women and they jumped, turning to look at the unexpected interruption. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine young man," Deb was the first to recover and held out her hand. "It has been a real joy meeting you and Elizabeth. Drive safely, and come back and see us, soon." She shook his hand when he offered it, before moving on and giving Elizabeth a hug. "Don't forget."

"Jason," Dana offered her hand as well. "Take good care of your bike now, it's a beauty."

He nodded and shook her hand, he wasn't surprised to see her give Elizabeth a hug as well.

"I wouldn't be in such a rush if I were you Jason, you never know what you might miss, in your haste," Julie commented, lowering her sunglasses long enough to dart a look in Elizabeth's direction. "Sometimes it's easier for someone to cling to a past then it is to embrace the unknown. So it doesn't it doesn't hurt to coax."

Jason's face was inscrutable as he shook her hand, and watched her move over and whisper something to Elizabeth.

"It's just you and me now isn't it?" Michele drawled.

He couldn't help the slight grin that came to his face when he focused on the frisky geriatric. "You do know that your shirt is on inside out don't you?"

Michele looked down and her face reddened. "It's the latest style."

"Okay," Jason agreed.

"You are without a doubt one of the best looking men I have ever seen, but if you let her get away then, you will be the stupidest man I ever met as well. And that includes the waste known as Carl Phelps." Michele warned him before stepping closer and hugging him.

Surprised at her move he patted her shoulder awkwardly, and stepped back as quickly as he could, without hurting her feelings. "Thanks for all your help," he addressed them all, before focusing on Elizabeth. "Take your time, I'll be at the bike."

Michele waited for him to move before closing in on Elizabeth. "I can't speak as pretty as Lady Deb here, so I'll just tell you a variation of what I told Jason. You are one of the nicest and prettiest girls I've met in a very long time. But if you let Jason get away, you will be, without a doubt, an idiot of mammoth proportions."

"Michele," Dana tried to back off her friend.

"What? I'm merely saying what you ninnies are too polite to say," Michele argued. "That if Elizabeth throws Jason away she will be a nincompoop. Hell she's already an idiot for not jumping him when she had the… ow," she shrieked when Dana kicked her shin.

Bristling Elizabeth pulled herself up to her 5'2" frame and glared at the older woman. "You don't know the whole situation, and you never will. Thank you for your help and goodbye."

"Kids," Michele huffed when Elizabeth stormed away. "Never could tell them anything," she became aware of three pairs of eyes glaring at her, and shifted uneasily on her feet. "What?"

"Way to go Michele. Piss her off, then she'll really listen to us," Julie huffed.

"Not to mention fondle Jason in public," Dana chimed in.

"Hey you're just jealous that I had the guts to touch him," Michele shot back.

"I wonder if he's had his shots, we know where you've been, but unfortunately for Jason he doesn't." Deb offered with a sigh. "Maybe we should direct him to the clinic."

"Deb," Michele shrieked advancing on her friend.

~*~*~*~

"Here," Jason held out his leather jacket.

"What's this for?" Elizabeth took the heavy coat in her hands.

"The weather changed, it's going to be a lot cooler on the bike today. You'll need this."

"What about you?" She asked pulling on the coat, the hem fell to mid-thigh, and her arms disappeared in the sleeves.

Jason pulled out a long-sleeved sweatshirt from his pack. "I'll be fine. Are you ready to go?"

"I guess," she answered softly moving to the bike.

They both stopped when they heard raised voices coming from the old women. Jason watched the unfolding fight for a minute and shook his head. "It looks like they're at it again."

"They're never boring are they?" Elizabeth commented as Jason got on the bike. She took his arm and climbed on the machine after him. "I liked them though."

"So did I," he admitted reluctantly. "Is your helmet strapped on?"

"Yes," she pulled the coat closer to her, and smelled the spicy scent of his aftershave along with something else, something unidentifiable, something that could only be the essence of Jason. Shaking her head to clear the fanciful thoughts from her head she wrapped her arms around his waist when he started the bike with a roar.

"Hang on, you'll be home in a few hours," Jason told her before putting the bike in gear.

And what would happen then? She wondered as the bike took off with a jolt.

~*~*~*~

In some ways the trip home took so long it almost seemed like they were crawling instead of flying down the interstate. The Sunday traffic was light, so there wasn't anything in their path, and yet it felt like days. Probably because of the way Jason was holding himself. She hadn't thought it was possible for him to remain rigid and still control the bike as easily as he did. She figured he would have to wear out sooner or later. But she was wrong. Hours passed and he was still stiff as a board, as such, the longer they went on the looser her hold on him, became. No one had ever slammed the door on her quite so effectively before.

Even when they had stopped for gasoline or to stretch their legs, he still held back from her. He wasn't rude or anything, he just didn't say anything more then he had too. Elizabeth felt more alone now then she had anytime during this whole trip. His confusing behavior wasn't helping her prepare for the meeting that was to come either. Instead of trying to figure out what to say to her fiancé, she was too busy mourning the loss of the ease of the ride her and Jason had shared yesterday. She really couldn't blame him for the way he was acting, though, her behavior last night had to have hurt him.

"Hold on." Jason ordered sharply, grasping her hand and pulling it tight around his waist. "Stop letting go."

"Sorry," she whispered but her word was lost on the wind. Sighing she turned her head so it was resting against his shoulder, and tightened her grip.

In other ways the trip was flying by. She had been recognizing signs for the past ten minutes or so, so she knew she was almost home. Home. God that sounded strange. She had lived in Canterbury, Colorado for most of her life, the only time she hadn't was when she had attended college at the University of Boulder. But at the moment, it didn't feel like home.

Elizabeth felt the bike begin to slow and shifted so her chin was resting on his shoulder. She could see the dome shaped water tower in the distance. The water tower that she had been dared to climb when she was 12. And to the horror of her family she had not only climbed it but had been nabbed by the Sheriff the instant she stepped free of the tower. She had been grounded for a month for that little stunt.

It was strange for her to realize, but the more the bike slowed as it neared the city limits, the more relaxed she became. When Jason slowed the bike to cross the railroad tracks, she shifted her grip so one hand rested on his hip the other on his thigh. "Keep going straight for another 2 miles."

Surprised at the contact Jason merely nodded and brought the bike to a stop at a red light.

"Elizabeth it was a hell of a wedding."

At the call Elizabeth turned and looked at the foursome at the picnic table in front of the Sonic. "Thanks," she called back weakly and waved slightly at the gaping faces. 

"Of course you wouldn't know about the wedding would you?" The spiky haired overweight blonde called out nastily. "You weren't there."

Vicki Switzer was the biggest gossip in town, not to mention the biggest pain in the ass as well. Elizabeth swallowed the blistering retort and focused on the red light willing it to change. Stooping to name calling, however satisfying, never worked.

"I took good care of him, don't you worry about it," Vicki continued.

"I doubt that Vicki, he never did like sloppy seconds," Elizabeth called back. "Or in your case, ninths."

Jason grinned slightly and took off the instant the light turned green.

"I hate that witch," Elizabeth muttered.

"I would have never guessed," Jason replied dryly.

She laughed and it was the first easy moment between them all day. "At the stoplight by the bowling alley turn right and follow the road out of town."

Jason nodded and followed her directions, soon they were on the outskirts of town, and when she didn't stop him, he kept going. About fifteen minutes later Elizabeth stirred behind him again.

"Take the next left, then you'll take the first right you come too. You might want to slow down, it's going to be gravel," she warned him.

He obeyed her automatically, going even slower then normal because he didn't want to take a chance of a rock flying up and hitting Elizabeth. They were nearing another turnoff when she squeezed his waist.

"Stop here."

Jason obeyed automatically, pulling the bike over to the side of the road and shutting off the engine. The sound of the engine hadn't even faded before Elizabeth was off the bike and pulling off her helmet.

Looking around all he could see was dirt and trees, not liking what he saw he frowned and focused on her. "Elizabeth there's no one here. I'm not leaving you in the middle of nowhere."

"Actually nowhere is on the other side of town," Elizabeth corrected him, causing the frown on his face to deepen. "Never mind, there's a cabin, just beyond the curve on that access road, that's where I'm heading."

Jason glanced over at the heavily rutted, partially overgrown dirt road she was referring too. "I can take you all the way in."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Elizabeth answered without thinking.

"Why not?"

Elizabeth lowered her eyes and began to play with the strap on the helmet. "It's my fiancé's cabin," she admitted finally. Even with her head bowed, she could feel the chill in the air, a chill that was definitely coming from him.

Even though a part of him had been expecting it, her words still stung. "It seems like you finally know what you want."

"I think so," she set the helmet on the bike's taillight and still avoided his gaze. "I'm not sure."

Seizing on that Jason got off the bike, causing her to back away from him. "Then what's the rush to get back? If you're not ready to face him, we don't have to be here," he hesitated then decided to risk it. "We can get back on the bike and go."

The unexpected offer brought her eyes up to his. "Go where?"

"Anywhere. Anywhere you want to go." He wasn't even surprised to find that he meant it. He would take her anyplace she wanted to go.

"You want me to run away with you? Just leave everything and everyone behind? Just chuck all my responsibilities and go with you?" Elizabeth asked moving closer.

"No. Yes, I don't know Elizabeth," he rubbed at the back of his neck in frustration. "All I know is that you don't seem to want to be here. So I'm offering you an out."

"I barely know you." God did he have any idea how tempting that offer sounded? How much she wanted to climb back on the bike and leave?

"So. We know enough to know we like each other. The rest we can find out along the way. If you decide you want to come back, or you want to get away from me, then all you have to do is say the word." Jason pressed, a little surprised at his actions. He normally didn't argue or try to influence people's decisions, but with Elizabeth he couldn't seem to help it. His reactions to her, since the very first moment, had been extreme.

Holding nothing back he went on. "There's something going on between us Elizabeth. All I'm asking for is a chance to see if it can develop into something more. I just want a chance, I think we deserve that."

"What we have is just an attraction," Elizabeth argued, more with herself then with him. "You're right there is something between us, it's called lust of the temporary sort." She tried to ignore the way her insides twisted when she said that. Saying the words aloud somehow, made them even more hollow then having her repeat them in her mind. No matter how she said them, they didn't ring true.

"Its more than that," Jason closed the distance between them and took her hand, he could feel her pulse jump the instant he did. "You said it last night, if lust was the only thing between us, you would have slept with me last night."

Elizabeth wanted to deny his words, but as his eyes captured hers, she knew it would be a lie. "I know," she whispered softly. Then touched a finger to his lips stopping his words. "I can't run away with you Jason. As tempting as the idea sounds, I can't. I can't run from my problems, well I can't run from them for long, that's just not who I am. I'm not like you Jason."

"What do you mean by that?"

She heard the coolness in his voice and wondered if she had gone too far. "Nothing. I just meant I can't leave, not when so much is uncertain."

"Like I left when things got bad? Is that what you mean?" Jason said taking a step back.

"No, Jason I didn't mean that," she reached out and caught his arm. "Our situations were totally different. You had a very good reason for leaving," she hesitated, "and I have a good reason to come back here. I have to face my problems."

Stung by her rejection, Jason freed his hand and moved farther away from her. "You should do whatever is right for you."

Elizabeth felt the tears burn the back of her eyes, tears she refused to let fall. She watched the mask descend in his eyes and felt bad knowing she had hurt him. "I'm sor…"

"Don't," he cut her off and turned back towards the bike.

Seeing him walk away from her, Elizabeth felt her insides twist. The image of him moving away from her seemed wrong somehow, and it made her heart burn. She moved after him quickly, shrugging out of his coat as she went. "I don't regret anything I've done since I met you," she faltered. "Well other then hurting you."

Jason turned and took the coat, their fingers brushed when he did so, and the contact sent awareness coursing through him. "I don't regret anything either."

Elizabeth smiled softly at his reluctant admission then swallowed hard to hold back the tears. "So where are you heading now?"

"I don't know," Jason shrugged. "Winter is coming on, I think I'll head west, maybe work my way up to Washington State." By keeping his hands busy he didn't give into the temptation to touch her. So he worked on taking off the sweatshirt and putting on his jacket.

Missing the warmth of the coat as well as the heat Jason provided with his nearness, she watched him tuck his shirt in the bag, and indecision consumed her. Was she doing the right thing? So much was riding on her decision, was she rushing it?

"I guess this is goodbye then," Jason knew he could stall no longer.

"I guess," Elizabeth agreed sadly, she firmed her voice and went on. "If you keep going North on this road, you'll run into the blacktop in about 10 miles, turn left and it will lead you back to the interstate. You can head west from there."

Jason nodded absently but his words surprised her. "I think I'll head back into town and get some food and gasoline, then head towards the interstate."

"Oh," she scuffed her boots into the gravel unsure what to do next. How did she say goodbye to him? Goodbye and Jason didn't seem to go together. And the mere thought of it, depressed her.

"Goodbye Elizabeth," Jason said softly, addressing the top of her head when she refused to look at him. "I hope everything works out for you, and your happy. I want you to be happy."

"I want that for you too Jason. I hope you'll be able to find your way home soon as well," she ran a hand through her tangled curls. "God I hate saying goodbye to you Jason. So instead I'll say see you later." She took a step towards him but when his expression remained cool she stopped. "So see you," she murmured before moving away.

"Wait." Moving quickly he caught her arm stalling her in her tracks. "I have something to give to you, hold out your hand."

"You shouldn't have," she replied, automatically extended her hand. Surprise turned into confusion when he placed the bracelet she had given him the day before in the palm of her hand. "Jason I ga…"

"It's yours. I never planned on keeping it," Jason interrupted smoothly.

"I gave this to you, for your help and for all the trouble I caused you," she tried to give it back but he refused to take it.

"I did what I wanted to do Elizabeth. I helped you because I wanted too and I won't take anything for that," he closed her hand over the diamond bracelet. "Nothing that happened between us was for payment."

"I know," a single tear slipped past her guards and raced down her cheek.

Instinct had Jason brushing the tear from her cheek. It was a mistake, he knew it as soon as he touched her, but it was too late to stop now. He brought his other hand up so he was framing her face in his hands. Tilting her face up, he studied her eyes for any sign of resistance, but all she saw was acceptance and yearning. He drew her closer and she moved willingly enough, her hand closed over his wrists.

"Kiss me Jason," Elizabeth whispered, "I need you to kiss me."

Not as much as I need you, the thought filtered in and out of his head. The thought itself was gone much too quickly for him to analyze where it had come from. He brought his head down and claimed her lips for his own.

The now expected fire was there, so too was the sweetness of her lips. But this time the kiss was different more emotional somehow. The longing of what would never be filtered through both of them and into the kiss.

Her tongue teased his lips asking for entrance and he obeyed immediately. She slipped inside his mouth bringing with her all the sweetness. But he didn't want sweetness this time. If this was to be their last kiss he wanted her to remember it. He wanted it to linger with her, like he knew it would linger with him.

The kiss changed in its intent, what was once a bittersweet kiss had now grown savage in its intensity. Elizabeth didn't pull away from the unexpected change, instead she leaned in and demanded more, her hands clutched at the coat at his waist, drawing him nearer. At the same time, she gave him everything she had. The more he took, the more she gave, until it reached the point that he didn't know where she ended and he began.

Only when he was sure he knew her mouth, her taste, her feel, as intimately as his own. Only when he had taken so much that he was almost high on the taste of her. Then and only then did he finally end the kiss. They leaned against heavily against each other trying to control their ragged breathing. Who was holding who up was a mystery. So too was how long they had been kissing, it could have been minutes, or it could have been hours, but however long it was, it was over too soon.

Partially recovered from their devastating connection, Elizabeth slowly stepped back, bringing a hand up to her swollen lips in surprise. She had never been kissed in that way before, like she was being ravaged. It was a strange and thrilling feeling.

"I won't apologize." Jason told her gruffly when he noted her stunned expression.

"I don't want an apology." And if he had offered one she would have killed him.

"Elizabeth…"

Whatever he was going to say was lost when a noisy combine crested the hill and began making it's way in their direction. Elizabeth turned and waved when she recognized old man Schmale. When he waved back she turned back to Jason and saw the mask was back on his face. "I should go."

Jason nodded not wanting to bring up her often mentioned, yet never named fiancé, the man he was loosing her too. He shook his head abruptly and moved towards the bike. She had never been his to lose, he needed to remember that.

Suddenly overwhelmed all she could do was watch as he got on the bike and put the helmet on. He straddled the bike, before focusing on her again. The piercing blue of his eyes seemed to reach her soul.

"Be happy Elizabeth."

"You too Jason," she whispered. She knew she needed to say something else, but it seemed like her vocal chords were frozen, and nothing would come out. The bike started with a roar. The sound of the powerful engine revving, brought her out of the fog. "Wait Jason."

Whether he would have heard her weak call she didn't know, because the approaching combine drowned her voice out. She stood there watching the taillight until it was a red spot and then finally faded from view.

The roar of the combine finally grew so loud that it forced Elizabeth to regain her bearings and she moved onto the access road and out of its path. It was hard but she fought the impulse to look back in the direction Jason had disappeared and instead began to walk towards the cabin and her future.

Her future? She couldn't stop the bitter sounding laugh that came out of her at that thought. If she was heading towards her future then why did her feet feel like they were made of lead? And why with each step she took, did she feel more and more like screaming?

Jason wanted her to be happy. The four ladies wanted her to stay with Jason. Her mother and sister, and most of the town wanted her married to the most eligible bachelor in Canterbury. Her dad and brother wanted her … wanted her….

She didn't quite know what her dad and brother wanted her to be, except to not get in any trouble. But her gram, her gram wanted her to be happy and to live her life to the fullest, never to settle for anything less then the best. She sighed and kicked a rock down the road, her fiancé wanted her to do what was right for her. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on her life, everyone it seemed, but her.

Elizabeth hugged her arms to her chest as the northerly wind blew through her, and seemingly into her bones. In spite of the coolness her steps faltered until she shuffling her feet, sending the graveled rocks flying down the road.

After the long and sleepless night she had spent the night before, she thought she had finally come to a decision. A decision she thought was the right one. A decision she was now worried about.

__

Let yourself live. … Sometimes it turns out what we think we want, what we spend years dreaming about, isn't what we really want at all. … When you ran from the church today you didn't even know Jason existed. You ran on your own. … You don't want to lose him as what Elizabeth? Your best friend or your fiancé? … We're so happy for you Lizzie, you two are perfect together. … Hormones effect everyone right? … Jason is a good-looking man. It's only natural that I would be attracted to him. … I've never regretted taking that chance on hormones. I never regretted reaching for the stars. … So you were going to marry this guy because you didn't want to disappoint your parents? … Sometimes you have to hurt the people you care about. … If you aren't happy he won't be either. … It doesn't take long to fall, not when it is the right person. … I'm so happy for you Lizzie and envious too. … We don't pick who we care for Elizabeth. … But how can it happen in a few hours? … If you spend most of your time letting life happen to you, instead of racing to meet it head on, you will regret it. … I am involved. … Do you believe in love at first sight? … There's something going on between us Elizabeth. All I'm asking for is a chance to see if it can develop into something more. I just want a chance, I think we deserve that. … What does a 15 year-old know about love? … So I'm supposed to live half a life because of some promise I made when I was 15 and thought I knew everything about love, when in fact I didn't have a clue? … You shouldn't settle for less than the moon and the stars Elizabeth. If you do you will never be happy.

The snippets of conversations she'd had during the last day echoed through her head, one on top of the other until she felt like screaming. Actually she did scream, slightly and startled some birds in the nearby trees into flight. She wasn't normally so indecisive. She normally didn't worry so much about what was expected of her, that she turned her life inside out. Normally she didn't fight with herself this much.

Elizabeth came to a dead halt about 200 yards from the cabin. That was it. That was the problem, she wasn't fighting with her parents, her gram, or even her fiancé, she was fighting with herself. Her mind was fighting with her soul and that was why she had been so crazed these last few months.

What was that old saying? If your heart, mind, and soul aren't in harmony then happy you will never be? Quoting fortune cookies probably wasn't a good thing, but she hated to admit that this time the corny saying was right. She had to stop fighting with herself and for that to happen. She had to be totally honest with herself. She took a deep breath and asked the question aloud. "What do you want Elizabeth?"

The confusing thoughts in her head seemed to settle as soon as she asked the question. The knot in her stomach seemed to lessen slightly as well. Her attention was drawn to the cabin when the door opened and someone stepped on the porch. Her heart jumped when she recognized him. He moved out into the sunlight until it was reflecting off his blonde hair. He smiled at her slightly and waited on the stairs.

The answering smile came automatically to her lips and she began to walk again, closing the distance between them quietly. The knot in her stomach eased with each step she took, until it vanished entirely. The decision she had made, was the right one, she now knew that without a doubt. "Hi…"


	9. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

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Disclaimer: The usual blather

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Feedback: It's the last chapter so I would really love to hear what you thought.

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Author's Notes: Thanks to those who went on this journey with me and replied. It was very nice of you.

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Bride on the Loose

Part IX

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~Canterbury~

If he was the type to believe in conspiracies Jason was sure that he had a prime one going on right now. Since dropping Elizabeth off about an hour and half ago, he had somehow found it impossible to leave town. If he was honest with himself, and he always was, he would have to admit that he wasn't trying real hard to leave anyway.

A part of him had been hoping that Elizabeth's questions, about which way he was heading, meant that she would come looking for him. As such, instead of eating in his normal, no wasted movements style, he had dawdled. Ordering seconds then even thirds of coffee, but he finally realized that she wasn't coming. With a sigh and oblivious to the admiring looks of his over-attentive waitress he finally stood and dropped some bills on the table, including his usual 25% tip, and headed for the door.

He held the door of the café open to let a stylish older woman, with a younger and obviously distressed blonde enter the café, then exited quickly heading for his bike.

Audrey Hardy paused just inside the door, tuning out Sarah's lament, she turned to look at the back of the man in the leather coat. There was something familiar about him. She had only caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, but she thought she knew him.

"Gram." 

Sarah wailed and drew Audrey's attention back to her high-strung granddaughter. "Yes dear?" She asked moving to a table, and frowned at the clock, only 12:30 too early for a cocktail, no matter how tempting the thought was. "Coffee please," she ordered with a smile, when a waitress appeared, "and a menu."

"Gram how can you think of eating when Elizabeth is still missing?" Sarah screeched. "She's almost been gone for 24 hours now. Anything could have happened to her, and no one seems to care."

"Of course I care," Audrey interrupted sharply. "You know I've been talking to her, Elizabeth is fine, I spoke to her late last night."

"But what about today?" Sarah asked her eyes alight with misery. "I know Elizabeth and I aren't close friends, or really even close sisters, but I do love her, and I'm worried about her. I know I drive her insane, that I drive you insane too, but I love her."

"I know you do," Audrey covered Sarah's hand with her own. It was the truth, Sarah was hard to take, but it was just because she tried so hard. Sarah tried to micromanage every little detail, in everyone's lives until she drove everyone nuts, but her heart was normally in the right place. "Elizabeth knows that too."

"Then why won't she talk to me? Why won't she let me help?"

"Because this isn't your decision to make Sarah, it's not my decision, or your parents, its Elizabeth's. She's the only who can decide what will happen next."

"You sound like she's not coming back," Sarah whispered horrified. "Of course she's going to come back, she has too, and she has to marry him. He's the best man in the world, the perfect guy for her. Doesn't she know that?"

Audrey waited for the waitress to serve the coffee and leave before speaking again. "Sarah you're going to have to realize that maybe he isn't the perfect man for her. And the reason that Elizabeth ran was because she finally figured that out."

Sarah blinked in surprise. It was hard for her to believe that there could be a more perfect man then her sister's fiancé. She ought to know she had secretly been in love with him for the past 2 years. She wasn't as delusional as most people thought she was. She knew that he would never, ever, feel the same about her, Elizabeth or no Elizabeth he never would. But it was always nice, if sometimes painful, to be around him and Elizabeth. She wanted him happy and she wanted her sister happy. She always thought the only way that would happen was if they were married.

But now it seemed like that wasn't going to be the case. And she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She liked her life to be ordered, and Elizabeth not getting married blew that order, and Sarah didn't like that. 

"But maybe she realized that he really is the perfect man for her. Maybe the separation only confirmed that she does love him." Sarah offered. She liked that scenario, it meant order would be restored. "I'm sure that's the case, she's probably at the cabin with him right now, apologizing. They might even elope, of course I'll have to kill her if she does that. But it would be romantic wouldn't it?'

Audrey saw the familiar glint in her granddaughter's blue eyes and smothered a groan. Early or not she needed a drink. "Waitress can I get a Bloody Mary please, and make it a double."

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~West Highway 24~

It's strange how quickly someone could get used to someone else. Elizabeth had only been with him a day, she had only ridden behind him for less then 24 hours, yet he missed her presence. The bike, his refuge for years, seemed somehow empty now as he rode along the highway alone. He hoped the feeling of loss wouldn't last. But for it to fade it would mean he would need to forget Elizabeth and he didn't want to do that.

With a groan he increased the bike speed and whipped around a 18 wheeler. Now that he was finally on the road, the desire to put as many miles between him and Elizabeth was overwhelming. As such he was flying on the old two lane highway, he knew he should be on the interstate if he wanted to go this fast, but for now, whipping in and out of slower moving traffic at breakneck speed appealed to him.

So in the end he very nearly missed her.

His eye registered the sight of a person on the side of the road, but he had whipped by them so quickly that it was only through the mirror on his handlebar that he recognized her. The rubber he laid down as he hit the brakes was long, and the bike fishtailed on the loose gravel as he hugged the side of the road. Ignoring the honks of the angry drivers and cars that abruptly veered around him, Jason brought the bike to a halt.

For a second he kept his eyes forward, unwilling to look back, unwilling to see if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Finally he pulled off his sunglasses and turned his head.

Elizabeth was walking down the road towards him. The distance between them gave him plenty of time, to steady his breathing, which had spiked at her unexpected appearance, and to study her. He got off the bike and took off his helmet setting it on the taillight and watched her approach.

She had taken the time to change, he realized, the well-worn formfitting blue jeans, were new to him yet obviously old, the red sweater hit her waist, and a blue jean jacket, she was sporting now, looked warm as well. She also had a backpack with her, slung over the shoulder. Sunglasses hid her eyes from his view as she came to a halt about five feet from him.

"Hi," Elizabeth said a little breathlessly.

"Elizabeth," for a man who was normally still, he felt suddenly flustered, and unsure of what to do with his hands. "What are you doing here?"

Elizabeth felt the sting of that cool question and swallowed hard. This was going to be harder then she thought. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. "I was waiting for you."

"Why? I thought you said everything already," Jason reminded her coolly putting his sunglasses back on.

Swallowing a sigh she set her bag on the ground and squared his shoulders. If she needed to fight with him she could do it, Jason was about to find out just how stubborn she really was. "Not everything."

He saw the stubborn angle her chin had taken, and the little bit of hope that he had been trying to battle down kicked up again. He didn't want to read too much into her sudden appearance, but he was beginning too. "Then talk."

"Jesus Jason I realize I hurt you, but what is with the man of stone act?" Elizabeth demanded, brushing a stray curl from her face.

Cat quick Jason grabbed her hand before it could drop to her side and held it up between them. "Where's your ring?"

Elizabeth looked down at her now bare left hand, then looked up into his face. "I don't have it anymore," she admitted, cursing the sunglasses he was wearing, because she wanted to see his eyes.

"I don't understand."

"I gave it back, I'm not engaged anymore," she explained, using her free hand she shoved her own sunglasses up her head. "Take your shades off."

"Why?"

"Damn'it Jason just do it," Elizabeth ordered.

"I meant why aren't you engaged." Jason clarified, dropping her hand and taking off his sunglasses.

"Because I knew it wasn't right to marry him, I finally admitted that to myself. I love him, and I always will, but I'm not in love with him anymore," she exhaled heavily, "it's getting easier for me to say that."

"Are you okay with that?" Jason asked in concern.

A soft smile drifted over her face at his words. "Yes. It went better then I hoped."

"You mean you were going to do this the whole time? Why didn't you tell me that?" Jason demanded. "I thought you were going back to him for good, I thought I would never see you again."

"I know," she said simply.

"Why did you do that Elizabeth?" Angry now his eyes pierced her. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to end things?"

"Because I didn't know I was," she cried out. 

"But you said…"

"Please Jason let me finish," Elizabeth interrupted him. "I had made up my mind to talk to him, I decided that last night. But you're right there is something going on between us, something more then just attraction and that scared me, because there wasn't supposed to be. My fiancé was supposed to be it for me, and suddenly, thanks to you, I was faced with the reality that he might not be. I knew I had to come back here and face him, and I had to do it right away. Because the longer I was around you, the more my feelings for you grew, soon I wouldn't be able to control them, so I had to come back. We barely even knew each other, but that didn't seem to matter."

Jason recognized her sentiment for one of his own. He had been surprised about the quick connection as well.

"I spent the whole drive trying to convince myself that what I thought I was feeling for you wasn't real, that it was only hormones. But you didn't let me get away with that. When I watched you leave, I knew I had to talk to my fiance, but I wasn't sure what I would say."

"I don't understand."

"Jason since I was 15 years-old I have wrapped my whole around him. You shook that belief, but I didn't know if it was real or not. It's true that when I ran yesterday I didn't even know who you were, I ran on my own and for my own reasons, obscure as they were. Later on I didn't know if I was still running because of my feelings of fear over the wedding, or if I was starting to fall for you. I wouldn't know that until I saw him, until I talked to him. I couldn't ask you to wait," she tentatively touched his hand. "A part of me didn't know what would happen when I saw him. I could have realized that I was still in love with him. If that happened, and you knew that I had went there to end things with him, and ended up staying instead, I knew that would hurt you so much worse then if I just let you believe that I had chosen him all along. I wanted to spare you the hurt, and also spare him. If he knew you were waiting for me, it would have hurt him too."

Jason didn't know what to say, he could see her point, and yet it still hurt.

"So I took a risk, probably the biggest I've ever taken. I let you go, knowing I might never see you again, knowing that if I did see you I might have hurt you so badly that you wouldn't want anything to do with me anymore. But I took that chance, I risked everything to find out where my heart really stood."

"Do you know now?"

Elizabeth sighed, the memory and the realization was bittersweet for her. "I was still a little confused, still fighting with myself a little bit, when I saw him. When I did everything became clear. We talked, for the first time, in a long time, we really talked. And we both realized some things. We realized that if we had married, eventually the friendship that meant more to us then anything, would soon be gone. I was trying to marry my best friend because it was what I said I always wanted, but it wasn't anymore. To my surprise he felt the same."

Jason brushed the strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "So you're okay with what happened?"

"I hated hurting him, but he felt the same. A part of me is sad, I've had this dream for years and it's gone now. But I need you to know something. You didn't end the dream, we did. My feelings for you were a surprise, I'll admit that, but in the end we decided to end things because it was best for both of us." She explained honestly, her eyes searching his.

Jason nodded. "So what are you going to do now?"

"That depends on you," nervously she licked her lips, and when Jason's eyes darkened at her movement she felt better. "It depends if your offer still stands."

"What offer?"

Narrowing her eyes she bit back the irritation. "To go with you."

"What about your ex?"

"You mean the man that drove like a speed demon to get me home to get clothes, and out here before you went by? The man who bribed Harley at the gas station, to stall your gas purchase?" She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him coolly. "The man who will be back in an hour to pick me up and bring me home, if you turn me down? The man, who, with my blessing, is spreading the word in town that I was kidnapped by a biker I met during my European vacation. A biker who fell in love with me and took me until I realized I had feelings for him as well?" She saw Jason's smirk and softened her stance. "A man who will always be in my life, who will always be my best friend, but a man who will never be my husband? That ex? Does that answer your question?"

"I guess so." The doubt he still had vanished as he saw the resolve in her eyes.

"So does the offer still stand?" Elizabeth asked, digging in her pocket and holding out a quarter. "I brought my own map."

Jason took his first easy breath in hours. But kept his expression stern as he looked from her face, to the quarter in her hand, then back again. "So where do you want to go?"

Elizabeth grinned and threw her arms around his neck. "How about the moon and the stars?"

Taking her comment seriously Jason frowned down at her. "I don't think that's poss…"

She cut off his words with her mouth. Taken by surprise at her actions for a second all he did was stand there. Then she took his bottom lip between hers and started to suck gently, that spurred Jason into movement and he sank into her mouth, kissing her fully. God he tasted good, so much stronger then she remembered and Elizabeth lost herself in him.

She felt him draw her closer and wanted to be closer still. She had a feeling she would never get close enough. Soon kisses weren't enough, free of the burden of holding back, Jason's hand slipped under the soft sweater, seeking the silk of her skin. Her skin felt so soft under his calloused hands, the difference in texture was addicting.

His lips left hers and drifted down the soft column of her throat, his tongue licking at the soft hollow of her throat, causing her to groan and press more firmly against him. Neither one, cared, nor even heard the honks coming from the traffic that continued to flow behind them, they were too caught up in each other.

He brought his mouth back up to claim her lips again in a quick kiss that quickly turned into so much more when she opened for him immediately. With a groan and a last grasp for sanity Jason broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers. "What?"

"I said," she cleared her throat and tried again. "I think we can manage the stars Jason."

Jason shook his head in confusion and let her go reluctantly when she backed away slightly.

"But this doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with you right away." She said as firmly as she could while trying to control her raging hormones.

Jason quirked a smile. "Okay."

"I'm not," she warned him reaching for her bag, but he picked it up before she could. "But I would like to go with you and see what, if anything, happens between us."

"Sounds reasonable," Jason agreed moving ahead of her. "You still took a hell of a risk, I could have went the other way."

"Oh I would have found you, if need be the police would have," she informed him with a smirk.

"Police?" Jason asked with a grimace.

"You have something of mine." Elizabeth explained seriously.

"No I don't."

"Yes you do, it's in your pocket," she pointed to his jacket.

Jason reached in his coat and to his surprise pulled out her diamond bracelet. Seeing it in his hand confirmed what she had told him, she had planned on coming back to him. "What if you had decided to stay?" 

She heard the emotion in his voice. "Then you would have had the bracelet, just like I always intended you to have."

"I'd rather have the woman," he said meeting her eyes then.

Elizabeth swallowed hard. "Now you have both," her eyes widened and she backtracked. "I mean for now, both of us are with you. And you'll always have one of them."

Jason nodded but didn't question her on which one she meant. He tucked the bracelet back in his coat and headed for the bike.

Elizabeth's eyes drifted down to the part of his behind that visible under the coat. She gave an absent thought to how long her vow not to sleep with him would last. "I'll go on one condition Jason," she said as he straddled the bike. 

Jason put the key in the ignition and looked over at her. "What's that?" He asked when he saw the teasing glint in her eyes.

"You have to tell me your last name."

Jason hid his smile by lowering his shades and holding out the helmet to her. "I'll tell you my last name if you tell me your middle name."

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she automatically grabbed the helmet. "Now that's a deal breaker." She shook her head. "I won't tell you that."

"Then we have a problem," Jason crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

"Now look here Jason…"

****

~Canterbury Inn~

"Mrs. Hardy, a woman left this here for you," the desk clerk called out when he spied the elegant older woman.

"Thank you." Audrey took the envelope scanning it absently, she came to a quick halt when she recognized her granddaughters scrawl. "The woman who left it, how long ago was she here? Was she a petite brunette?"

"Yes she was, she was here about an hour ago. I believe she was your granddaughter."

"Thanks again," Audrey took the letter and moved over to one of the comfortable oversized chairs in the lobby. Pulling out her glasses she quickly pulled out the letter and something else fell in her hand as well, ignoring that she opened the letter.

__

Gram,

I tried to find you, but couldn't, and there wasn't time to call. I came back and talked to him and big surprise he only wanted what was best for me, and for him. And we both knew what was best for us was to be best friends, nothing more. I knew he would be supportive of me, but it was a relief to hear the words from him. I couldn't wait to see you because I decided to go with Jason. I don't know if he'll give me the stars like Gramps gave you, but I'm hoping. If he doesn't, then I'll keep looking for someone who will. I'm not going settle anymore Gram. I'm going to grab onto life with both hands and ride it no matter where it takes me.

Jason's a good man, you'd like him, and I hope you meet soon. But for right now, we need to explore things with each other, alone for awhile, without bringing in other people. I'm sure you understand. I love you Gram, and I'll be in touch. Thanks for always being there for me. I won't let you down.

Wish me luck.

Love,

Elizabeth

Audrey opened her hand and saw the necklace that she had let Elizabeth borrow. The tiny little moon and stars winked up at her. She flicked a tear from her eye. "Good luck my darling."

****

~The road West~

"So when exactly are you going to let me drive?" Elizabeth pressed her lips to his ear and asked the question.

"I'm not. You couldn't handle the wind, my weight, your weight, the bike's weight." Jason explained. The truth of the matter was, no one had ever driven his bike but him, and he wasn't going to change that now.

Elizabeth's hands drifted between his open coat and traced the muscles in his stomach. "You want to bet Morgan?" Elizabeth whispered before nipping his earlobe.

Jason shook his head a little uneasily. A part of him realized she might convince him to let her drive one day, after all he still hadn't learned her middle name.

****

The End


End file.
